Return  this  book  on  or  before  the 
Latest  Date  stamped  below. 


University  of  Illinois  Library 


L161 — H41 


OUTLINE 

i /,  / 

OF 


BIBLE  HISTORY. 


By  JOHN  F.  HURST. 


NEW  YORK: 

NELSON  & RHIRRIPS. 

CINCINNATI:  HITCHCOCK  & WALDEN. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT. 


I i i M 

[ I I > ' ' 

OV'iU  ' V- V -I 

V,  ^ • 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  by 

NELSON  & PHILLIPS, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


Though  the  following  Outline  of  Bible  History  has 
been  prepared  for  use  in  the  Normal  Department  of  Sun- 
day-school instruction,  at  the  request  of  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H. 
Vincent,  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  give  it  other 
adaptations;  and  it  is  hoped  that  it  may  fill  a place  in 
all  circles  where  the  study  of  the  Bible  in  historical  or- 
der is  desired  and  appreciated.  The  difficulty  of  conden- 
sation to  the  compass  of  the  present  little  volume  has  been 
extremely  embarrassing ; if  it  had  been  treble  the  size,  or 
much  greater  still,  it  would  have  been  much  more  easi- 
ly, and  we  think  better,  written.  Within  the  last  few 
years  quite  a large  number  of  works  have  appeared  in 
England,  giving  a synoptical  view  of  several  branches 
of  both  sacred  and  secular  science,  and  biblical  history 
and  chronology  have  received,  perhaps,  their  due  share 
of  attention.  Pinnock’s  Analysis  of  Scripture  History, 
Smith’s  Student’s  Old  and  New  Testament  History,  (re- 
published in  this  country  by  the  Harpers,)  Maclear’s 
Class-Books  of  Old  and  New  Testament  Histories,  and 
Curtis’s  Outlines  of  Scripture  History,  may  be  mentioned 
as  examples.  These,  with  such  other  authorities  as 
could  serve  our  purpose,  have  been  used  to  advantage  in 
portions  of  the  present  Outline,  though,  to  our  regret, 
its  circumscribed  limits  have  prevented  the  full  refer- 
ence and  due  acknowledgment  which,  in  a larger  work, 
could  have  been  conveniently  rendered.  The  maps  are 

99033 


4 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


selected  from  that  best  of  all  practical  works  on  the 
theme  it  treats,  and  one  fully  commensurate  with  the 
results  of  the  most  recent  scientific  investigation,  Pro- 
fessor Whitney’s  Hand-Book  of  Bible  Geography. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  tasks  in  connection  with  the 
study  of  the  Bible  is  the  matter  of  dates.  There  is  lit- 
tle or  no  harmony,  indeed,  in  the  authorities  in  which  we 
are  accustomed  to  confide,  and  on  which  most  reliance 
has  been  placed  in  the  preparation  of  the  Outline.  It  will 
give  the  author  great  pleasure  to  be  informed,  especially 
by  teachers — for,  after  all,  the  teaching  of  a book  is  the 
best  crucible  for  its  testing — of  any  points  which  may 
seem  to  need  alteration  or  amendment. 

A summary  of  the  History  of  the  Church,  and  another 
of  the  History  of  Christian  Doctrine,  both  similar  in 
general  character  to  the  present,  are  in  course  of  prepa- 
ration for  the  Normal  Outline  Series. 


5 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


Note  to  the  Instructor: 

The  following  Outline  should  be  studied  in  connection  with  the  ac- 
companying skeleton  table  of  General  Periods  of  Bible  History  and 
Index  Table  of  Bible  History,  the  former  of  which,  as  will  be  seen,  is 
but  an  abridgment  of  the  latter.  The  student  should  have  in  mind  a 
correct  idea  of  ail  the  periods,  in  historical  order,  with  the  exact  dates. 
These  can  be  enlarged,  first,  by  the  Index  Table,  then  by  the  Outline, 
and  then  to  the  fullest  extent  by  the  detailed  accounts  in  the  Bible 
itself.  Instead  of  giving  questions,  we  prefer  to  leave  them  to  be 
suggested  by  the  wisdom  and  care  of  the  teacher.  Nothing  but  con- 
stant repetition  can  fix  the  biblical  history  in  the  memory,  and  make 
it  available  for  future  service.  We  earnestly  advise  the  invariable  use 
of  maps  in  connection  with  the  history.  It  is  one  of  the  forms  of  ob- 
ject-teaching which  never  fail  to  produce  the  most  gratifying  results. 
Those  maps  which  we  have  given  should  be  kept  before  the  eye  as 
much  as  may  be.  Care  should  be  taken  that  the  student  should  like- 
wise draw  his  own  maps,  on  paper  or  the  blackboard,  beginning  with 
the  mere  outline  of  the  country,  and  filling  up  with  all  the  important 
topographical  features  of  the  lands  of  the  Bible.  This  will  be  an  inval- 
uable aid,  both  in  accuracy  and  interest,  to  the  study  of  the  scriptural 
periods. 


I.  GENERAL  PERIODS  OF  BIBLE  HISTORY. 

THE  OLD  TESTAMENT. 

Chapter  I. — From  the  Creation  to  the  Deluge.  B.  C.  4004-2348. 
Chapter  II. — From  the  Deluge  to  the  Call  of  Abraham.  B.C.  2348-1921. 
Chapter  III. — From  the  Call  of  Abraham  to  the  Descent  into  Egypt — 
The  Patriarchal  Age.  B.  C.  1921-1706. 

Chapter  IY. — From  the  Descent  into  Egypt  to  the  Exode.  B.  C. 
1706-1491. 


6 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


Chapter  V. — From  the  Exode  of  the  Israelites  to  their  Passage  of  the 
Jordan.  B.  C.  1491-1451. 

Chapter  YI. — From  the  Passage  of  the  Jordan  to  the  Monarchy. 
B.  C.  1451-1095. 

Chapter  VII. — From  the  Establishment  of  the  Monarchy  to  its  Divis- 
ion. B.  C.  1095-9*5. 

Chapter  VIII. — From  the  Division  of  the  Monarchy  to  the  Final  Cap- 
ture of  Jerusalem.  B.  C.  975-587. 

Chapter  IX. — From  the  Final  Capture  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar to  the  Close  of  the  Old  Testament  History.  B.  C.  587-397 

Chapter  X. — Interval  between  the  Close  of  the  Old  Testament  His- 
tory and  the  Commencement  of  the  New.  B.  C.  397-6. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 

Chapter  I. — From  the  Beginning  of  the  New  Testament  Period  to 
the  Ascension  of  Christ.  B.  C.  6-A.  D.  30. 

Chapter  II. — From  the  Ascension  of  Christ  to  the  Close  of  the  Apos- 
tolic Period.  A.  D.  30-101. 


JI.  INDEX  TABLE  OF  BIBLE  HISTORY. 

THE  OLD  TESTAMENT. 

Chapter  I. — From  the  Creation  to  the  Deluge.  B.  C.  4004-2348. — 
1.  The  Creation;  2.  Seven  Days;  3.  The  Fall;  4.  The  Antedilu- 
vian Patriarchs,  B.  C.  4003-2348  ; 5.  Great  Increase  of  Wicked- 
ness ; The  Flood. 

Chapter  II. — From  the  Deluge  to  the  Call  of  Abraham.  B.  C.  2348- 
1921. — 1.  Distribution  of  the  Human  Family ; 2.  Call  of  Abraham. 

Chapter  III. — From  the  Call  of  Abraham  to  the  Descent  into  Egypt 
— The  Patriarchal  Age.  B.  C.  1921-1706.— 1.  Abraham  in  Pales- 
tine and  Egypt ; 2.  Later  Life  of  Abraham ; 3.  Jacob ; 4.  Joseph 
in  Egypt. 

Chapter  IY. — From  the  Descent  into  Egypt  to  the  Exode.  B.  C. 
1706-1491. — 1.  Blessings  and  Death  of  Jacob  and  Joseph ; 2.  The 
Bondage  of  Israel  and  Call  of  Moses ; 3.  Divine  Preparations  for 
the  Deliverance  of  the  Israelites  ; 4.  The  Plagues ; 5.  The  Expde. 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


7 


Chapter  Y. — From  the  Exode  of  the  Israelites  to  their  Passage  o? 
the  Jordan.  B.  C.  1491-1451. — 1.  Beginning  of  the  Pilgrimage  of 
Israel;  2.  Water  from  Horeb;  3.  Gift  of  the  Law;  4.  The  Golden 
Calf;  5.  Erection  of  the  Tabernacle ; 6.  The  March  from  Sinai; 
7.  Rebellion  against  Moses — Fiery  Serpents ; 8.  Prophecy  of  Ba- 
laam ; 9.  Death  of  Moses. 

Chapter  VI. — From  the  Passage  of  the  Jordan  to  the  Monarchy. 
B.  C.  1451-1095. — 1.  First  Events  after  Entering  Palestine; 

2.  Yictories ; 3,  Result  of  the  War;  4.  Division  of  the  Coun- 
try; 5.  Death  of  Joshua;  6.  Capture  of  Jerusalem,  and  Idolatry 
in  the  North ; 7.  Beginning  of  the  Period  of  the  J udges ; 8.  Re- 
lapse into  Idolatry ; 9.  The  History  of  Ruth,  the  Moabitess  ; 
10.  Yictory  of  Deborah  and  Barak;  11.  Gideon;  12.  Abimelech — 
Tola — Jair — Jephthah ; 13.  Samson ; 14.  Defeat  of  Israel,  and 
Loss  and  Return  of  the  Ark ; 15.  Samuel’s  Effort  at  Reformation, 
and  the  Anointment  of  Saul  as  King;  16.  Judges  in  Chronological 
Order. 

Chapter  YII. — From  the  Establishment  of  the  Monarchy  to  its  Divis- 
ion. B.  C.  1095-975. — 1.  Reign  of  Saul;  2.  Sins  of  Saul;  3.  Da- 
vid designated  King ; 4.  David  fleeing  before  Saul ; 5.  Death  of 
Samuel  and  Saul;  6.  David’s  Reign;  7.  Reign  of  Solomon. 

Chapter  YIII. — From  the  Division  of  the  Monarchy  to  the  Final  Cap- 
ture of  Jerusalem.  B.  C.  975-587. — 1.  Table  of  the  Kings  of  Ju- 
dah and  Israel ; 2.  (Kings  op  Judah  and  Israel  in  Connection,) 
Hostility  between  the  two  Kingdoms — Idolatry  in  Israel ; 3.  Abi- 
jah,  Asa,  and  Kings  of  Brief  Reign — Ahab  ; 4.  Jehoshapliat ; 
5.  The  Prophet  Elijah ; 6.  War  with  the  Assyrians — The  Prophet 
Elisha;  7.  Jehoram,  Ahaziah,  Athaliah,  Joash,  Monarchs  of  Ju- 
dah; 8.  Ahaziah,  Joram,  Jehu,  Jehoahaz,  Jehoash,  Kings  of 
Israel;  9.  The  Prophet  Jonah;  10.  Amaziah,  Uzziah,  and  other 
Kings;  11.  Captivity  of 'the  Ten  Tribes;  12.  (Kings  of  Judah: 
B.  C.  721-587,)  Hezekiah,  Manasseh,  Amon,  Josiah,  Jehoahaz; 
13.  Captures  of  Jerusalem. 

Chapter  IX. — From  the  Final  Capture  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar to  the  Close  of  the  Old  Testament  History.  B.  C.  587-397. 
— 1.  The  Jewish  Captives;  2.  Destruction  of  Babylon — Daniel; 

3.  The  Return  from  Captivity ; 4.  Opposition  of  the  Samaritans — 
Decree  of  Ahasuerus ; 5.  Another  Return — Ezra ; 6.  The  Proph- 
ets; 7.  The  Prophets  in  their  supposed  Chronological  Order. 

Chapter  X. — Interval  between  the  Close  of  the  Old  Testament  and 
the  Commencement  of  the  New.  B.  C.  397-6. — 1.  Division  of  the 


8 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


Time;  2.  War  between  Syria  and  Egypt;  3.  Revolt  of  Judea  and 
Persecution  of  the  Jews ; 4.  Rise  of  the  Maccabeans ; 5.  Career 
of  Judas  Maccabeus;  6.  Simon,  John  Hyrcanus,  Aristobulus, 

Alexander  Jannseus ; 7.  Reduction  of  Syria  to  a Roman  Prov 
iuce ; 8.  The  Apocryphal  Books ; 9.  Jewish  Sects. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 

Chapter  I. — From  the  Beginning  of  the  New  Testament  Period  to 
the  Ascension  of  Christ.  B.  C.  6-A.  D.  30. — 1.  Birth  of  John  the 
Baptist  and  Jesus;  2.  Ministry  of  John  the  Baptist — First  Year 
of  Christ’s  Ministry,  A.  D.  27 ; 3.  Second  Year  of  Our  Lord’s 
Ministry;  4.  Last  Year  of  Christ’s  Ministry;  5.  Passion  of  Our 
Lord  ; 6.  The  Crucifixion ; 7.  The  Resurrection  ; 8.  The  Ascension. 

Chapter  II. — From  the  Ascension  of  Christ  to  the  Close  of  the  Apos- 
tolic Period.  A.  D.  30-101. — 1.  Pentecost — Stephen;  2.  Conver- 
sion of  Saul ; 3.  Paul’s  First  Missionary  Journey ; 4.  Paul’s 
Second  Missionary  Journey;  5.  Paul’s  Third  Missionary  Jour- 
ney; 6.  Arrest  of  Paul — Journey  to  Rome — Shipwreck;  7.  Paul’s 
Further  Travels  ; 8.  Chronology  of  the  Epistles — Supposed  Fields 
of  Apostolic  Labor.  t 


MAPS. 


No.  1.  Scripture  World Pages  11-14 

No.  2.  The  Holy  Land “ 31-34 

No.  3.  Modern  Jerusalem “ 51,  52 

No.  4.  Travels  of  St.  Paul “ 57-60 


L 


OUTLINE  OF  BIBLE  HISTORY 


THE  OLD  TESTAMENT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FROM  THE  CREATION  TO  THE  DELUGE. 

B.  C.  4004-2348. 

1.  The  Creation. — In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven 
and  the  earth. 

This  first  statement  of  the  Bible  is  in  utter  antagonism  to,  and  is  a complete 
refutation  of,  all  pagan  and  pantheistic  notions  of  the  origin  of  the  universe, 
since  it  declares  that  the  world  is  not  eternal,  nor  the  result  of  chance,  nor  of 
self-generation,  nor  of  various  unconscious  and  impersonal  agents,  nor  of  emana- 
tion from  God,  but  a creation  from  nothing,  the  work  of  the  one  personal  and 
omnipotent  Supreme  Being.  The  work  of  creation  was  completed  in  six  days, 
as  follows : 

2.  Seven  Days. — First  day  : God  created  light,  and  divided 
the  light  from  the  darkness. 

Second  day  : The  firmament  was  created,  and  called  heaven. 

Third  day : Water  and  land  were  separated,  and  the  earth 
covered  with  vegetation. 

Fourth  day  : God  created  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars. 

Fifth  day  : He  created  the  fish  of  the  sea  and  the  fowls  of  the 
air. 

Sixth  day:  Creation  of  the  higher,  or  land  animals;  finally, 
man  was  created  in  God’s  image,  after  his  likeness.  Adam 
placed  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  commanded  to  dress  and 
keep  it.  Eve  created,  and  marriage  instituted. 

Eden  supposed  to  have  been  the  country  lying  between  the  highlands  of  Arme- 
nia and  the  Persian  Gulf.  Two  of  its  four  rivers  are  the  Tigris  and  Euphrates. 

Seventh  day : God  rested  from  all  his  work.  The  Sabbath 
instituted. 

3.  The  Fall. — Adam  and  Eve,  by  eating  of  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  disobeyed  God,  and  fell. 
Expelled  from  the  Garden  of  Eden ; but  a Saviour  promised, 
who  was  to  be  of  the  seed  of  the  woman. 


10 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


4.  The  Antediluvian  Patriarchs,  B.  C.  4003-2348.— Birth 

of  Cain,  ( gotten , or  acquired  ;)  birth  of  Abel,  ( breath , or  transi- 
toriness.) Cain’s  sacrifice  rejected  by  God ; Abel’s  accepted, 
being  offered  in  faith.  Cain  murdered  his  brother,  and  a curse 
pronounced  upon  him  for  his  crime.  Driven  from  the  region 
of  Eden,  and  removed  to  the  land  of  Nod ; built  a city,  called 
Enoch,  after  his  eldest  son ; became  the  father  of  a numerous 
posterity.  Gain' s descendants : Enoch,  Irad,  Mehujael,  Methu- 
sael,  Lamech.  Lamecli  the  first  to  practice  polygamy ; of  his 
three  sons,  Jabal  taught  the  art  of  tent-making,  Jubal  the  use 
of  musical  instruments,  and  Tubal-Cain  the  art  of  working  in 
metals.  Descendants  of  Seth , ( substituted , given  to  Adam  in 
place  of  Abel)  : Enos,  Cainan,  Malialaleel,  Jared,  Enoch,  Methu- 
selah, Lamech,  Noah.  Enoch,  (born  B.  C.  3382,)  one  of  the 
best  of  Seth’s  descendants,  led  a life  of  intimate  communion 
with  God.  He  warned  the  evil-doers  of  his  day  against  the 
impending  judgment  of  God,  and  was  the  first  of  the  prophets. 
Translated  to  heaven  in  the  36oth  year  of  his  age,  (B.  C.  3017.) 
Noah,  the  son  of  Lamech,  born  B.  C.  2948. 

5.  Great  Increase  of  Wickedness;  the  Flood.— As  a con- 
sequence, God  threatened  to  destroy  the  earth ; commanded 
Noah  to  build  an  ark,  which  was  the  means  of  the  preservation 
of  Noah  and  his  wife,1  and  his  sons  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japheth, 
and  their  wives,  and  two  of  every  species  of  “unclean”  birds 
and  beasts,  and  seven  of  every  species  accounted  “ clean.”  The 
waters  of  the  flood  prevailed  one  hundred  and  fifty  days,  and 
on  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  seventh  month  the  ark  rested  on 
one  of  the  peaks  of  Ararat. 


CHAPTER  II. 

FROM  THE  DELUGE  TO  THE  CALL  OF  ABRAHAM. 

B.  C.  2848-1921. 

1.  Distribution  of  the  Human  Family.— Noah,  after  leav- 
ing the  ark,  offered  a sacrifice  of  burnt-offerings  to  the  Lord. 
The  place  where  the  ark  rested  was  a convenient  center  for  the 
sons  of  Noah  to  set  out  from,  and,  through  their  posterity,  to 


CLASSI  FI  CAT  I ON  of  the  Bl  BLE  LANDS 

WJ1Y  DISTRICTS 

First  Dtsl net: North  luidKastof  the Euphrates 

ARMENIA, MEDIA.PARTHIA, PERSIA, CHALDF.A, MESOPOTAMIA, AS 

Second  District  II cl wt*'il theEupl antes  fuidtlmMeditprraneati . 

ARABIA  PHILISHA  CANAAN, PHENICIA.SYRIA. 

'niirdDistnrt . South  of  the  Mediterranean 
ARABIA, EGYPT, LIBYA 
FouitiiDimncI  North  of  the  Mediterranean. 

SPAIN , ITALY,  GREECE  ASIA  MINOR. 

-Y"  JIYHISTOItiC  .\SSOClATIONTS 
IJ.nnds  oftlioboginnin^:  ARMEN  IA.CHALDEA,  MESOPOTAMIA 
jMeouI  oflfebnew  bondage:  EGYPT . 

3.  Lai  id  o!'IIehivvrw*uidoiint>  ARABIA  PETRAEA 
4 TheLand  of  Promise : CANAAN . 

j.Tliel.iuuls  of  the  Jewish  warsiPHILISTIA, SYRIA, ARABIA 
ti  Tilt-Land* ofllie Cat*ivuies  ASSYRIA, BABYLONIA 

7. Tho Lands  of  Cyrus  tbeEuuinripai.or:  MEDI A PERS IA 

8.  The  Lands  of  thnlhuporsion  Xve-AcL-i  IJ. 

MEASUREMENTS 

r»  St. AS  LAKKB  IfcHlYEnS.  orilOWTAIN S Etc:  or DiSTAXCKfcuHl.t 

.Mediterranean  Sea..  xns\«i'  Alx>ve-MrdUcnnne(ut\  1rn  Jerusalem  to 

tin Cibmlhirto  Jo/v>ct,..2W0  'iltArarat  ft.  17.323  Cairn  oc^  u. 


nDeadSoa  . 

I j Sea  ot  Galilee 
i [Black  Sea 
Jj  Caspian  Son 


lilt  OulfvrSuez.  ..ISO  ; Honnon 
the <inif‘of‘d/etibu h ..1U5  ii  ,.  SertmJ 
ti...  ff.siSffapnryn’  J1G0  j Sinai 


.10.051  Tliebes 
9.376  Cymie 
j|  Malta  . 
8.6S3  |j  Home 
2 665  jj  Athene 
2.550  Corintlr 
2.440  Babdon 
.1800  Nineveh 
5.000  'Ur  . 

M'Simu 
BtlnwMahUrraneaji\  .Ml  Antra 
I]  SettefGahleo 
‘ DeadSea  1.292  j 


J, 

SuiuUivSH  looI  1 iiion 

LSON  & PHILLIPS  805  BROADWAY  NEW  YORK 

STATUTE  MILES 


Dram i JEi iron WFrintecLetc  by G.W&- CJ8 X 'oLtonAr C?A’ ewYoi 


48 


^ ^ ' r V] 

^ i g 


DOCUW 

hS  MT5i^lS'1 


ninev&> 


Tarcheii 

. Ai  diocli 


,\yA\vruVvi 


iwbiijttii 


gi  %^<sc 

tmCilead_ 

^ US  A LEM' 


lY^Carmelj 


niny.^cs 


. ‘arr0\ 
* 8m-/ 

Vfcnkl 


CANCE' 


TROf.'C 


l'I*  '>•'.  A. 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


15 


overspread  the  earth.  But  his  descendants  remained  for  a 
time  in  the  plain  of  Shinar,  and  attempted  to  build  a tower, 
(B.  C.  2247*)  Babel,  whose  top  might  reach  heaven.  God 
frustrated  their  effort  by  confounding  their  language.  They 
were  then  scattered  over  the  earth.  - Abram,  the  son  of  Terah, 
born  B.  C.  1996,  in  Ur  of  the  Chaldees.  Terah,  with  his  son 
Abram,  his  daughter-in-law  Sarai,  and  his  grandson  Lot,  left 
Ur  and  settled  in  Haran,  (Charran.) 

Job,  who  probably  lived  about  this  period,  was  a powerful 
and  prosperous  Eastern  prince ; suddenly  stripped  of  his  prop- 
erty and  children,  and  personally  afflicted  with  a loathsome 
disease;  endured  his  trials  patiently,  trusting  in  God,  who 
afterward  gave  him  more  property  than  he  had  ever  possessed, 
and  made  him  the  father  of  seven  sons  and  three  daughters. 

2.  Call  of  Abraham. — (1921.) — Abram,  the  man  chosen  by 
God  to  be  the  head  of  a family  and  nation  who  should  be  his 
witnesses  on  earth,  and  from  whom  the  promised  Messiah 
should  come.  At  the  age  of  seventy-five,  in  obedience  to  the 
divine  command,  he  left  Ilaran,  accompanied  by  his  wife  Sarai 
and  his  nephew  Lot,  and,  taking  with  him  all  that  he  possessed, 
went  to  the  land  of  Canaan. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

FROM  THE  CALL  OF  ABRAHAM  TO  THE  DESCENT  INTO  EGYPT — 
THE  PATRIARCHAL  AGE. 

B.  C.  1921-1706. 

1.  Abraham  in  Palestine  and  Egypt— Abram  crossed  the 
Jordan  and  went  to  Shechem,  where  he  built  an  altar  to  God. 
Removed  to  the  country  east  of  Bethel,  or  Luz.  In  consequence 
of  a famine  he  went  down  to  Egypt,  whence  he  returned,  after 
much  increase  in  cattle,  gold,  and  silver,  and  dwelt  again  be- 
tween Bethel  and  Ai.  Abram  and  Lot  separated,  Lot  choosing 
the  plain  south  of  the  Jordan,  and  Abram  remaining  alone  in 
Canaan.  Here  the  latter  was  assured  by  God  that  the  land 
should  be  given  to  his  seed,  which  should  be  as  numerous  as 
the  sand  on  the  sea-shore.  Abram  removed  southward,  and 


16 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


dwelt  near  Hebron.  The  king  of  Sodom  and  four  other  kings, 
who  had  rebelled  against  Chedorlaomer,  king  of  Elam,  being 
defeated  in  the  yale  of  Siddim,  and  Lot  taken  prisoner,  Abram 
pursued  the  conquerors  northward,  smote  them,  and  chased 
them  to  Hobah,  near  Damascus.  Met  on  his  return  by 
Melchizedek,  king  of  Salem  and  priest  of  God,  and  blessed 
by  him.  Ishmael,  the  son  of  Abram  and  Hagar,  born  B.  C. 
1910. 

2.  Later  Life  of  Abraham — God  renewed  his  covenant 
wdtli  Abram,  (B.  C.  1897,)  whose  name  was  now  changed  to 
Abraham,  (< father  of  a multitude ) The  rite  of  circumcision 
instituted.  Sarai’s  name  changed  to  Sarah,  {princess.)  The 
Lord  and  two  attendant  angels  in  human  form  entertained  by 
Abraham.  Destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  by  fire  and 
brimstone  because  of  their  wickedness.  Birth  of  Isaac.  Ish- 
mael, being  sent  away  in  compliance  with  the  demand  of  Sarah, 
married  an  Egyptian  woman,  and  became  the  ancestor  of  a large 
part  of  the  Arabian  tribes. 

While  living  near  Beersheba,  Abraham’s  faith  in  God  was  se- 
verely tried.  He  was  commanded  to  offer  his  only  son  Isaac  for 
a burnt-offering.  After  making  all  the  preparations,  was  spared 
this  sacrifice  by  the  miraculous  presentation  of  a ram  instead 
of  his  son.  Sarah  died  at  Hebron.  Esau  and  Jacob,  twin  sons 
of  Isaac  and  Kebekah,  born  B.  C.  1886.  Death  of  Abraham 
at  Beersheba,  B.  C.  1821. 

3.  Jacob. — Esau  sold  his  birthright  to  Jacob;  Jacob,  fearing 
his  brother’s  anger,  fled  to  his  uncle  Laban,  in  Mesopotamia. 
When  on  his  way,  near  Luz,  (Bethel,)  he  had  a vision  of  a 
ladder,  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven,  on  which  the  angels  of 
God  ascended  and  descended.  Here  God  foretold  to  him  the 
blessings  of  his  posterity.  Jacob  had  twelve  sons  and  one 
daughter:  Reuben,  Simeon,  Levi,  Judah,  Dan,  Uaplitali,  Gad, 
Asher,  Issachar,  Zebulun,  Dinah,  Joseph,  and  Benjamin.  Jacob, 
returning  secretly  to  Canaan,  had  a vision  at  Mahanaim.  He 
wrestled  with  an  angel  at  Peniel,  and  his  name  was  changed  to 
Israel,  {a  prince  of  God)  He  met  his  brother  Esau,  and  they 
were  reconciled ; after  which  he  settled  at  Succoth,  (booths)  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  Jordan.  Removed  thence  to  the  interior 
of  Palestine,  and  pitched  his  tent  before  the  city  of  Shechem. 
By  divine  command  he  went  to  Bethel  and  dwelt  there,  where 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


17 


God  appeared  to  him  and  blessed  him.  Subsequently  he  lived 
at  Hebron. 

4.  Joseph  in  Egypt. — Joseph  dreamed  two  dreams,  in  one  of 
which  he  saw  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  make  obeisance  to  him; 
and  in  the  other,  sheaves,  which  his  brothers  bound,  doing 
homage  to  his.  His  brothers,  excited  by  envy,  sold  him  to 
some  Ishmaelite  or  Midianite  merchants,  who  carried  him  down 
into  Egypt  and  sold  him  to  Potiphar,  an  officer  of  the  king  and 
captain  of  the  guard.  Joseph,  after  having  risen  to  be  over- 
seer of  Potiphar’s  house,  was  thrown  into  prison  on  a false 
accusation  of  his  wife.  Pharaoh’s  prophetic  dreams  of  famine 
being  interpreted  by  Joseph,  the  latter  was  made  governor 
over  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  His  wife  was  Asenath,  daughter 
of  the  priest  of  On,  (Heliopolis.)  Commencement  of  the  seven 
years  of  plenty,  B.  C.  1715.  Birth  of  Joseph’s  sons,  Manasseh 
and  Ephraim.  Commencement  of  the  seven  years  of  famine, 
B.  C.  1708.  Jacob  sent  his  ten  sons  into  Egypt  to  buy  com. 
Joseph,  at  the  second  visit  of  his  brothers  for  corn,  made  him- 
self known  to  them,  and  sent  for  his  father.  The  same  year 
(B.  C.  1706)  Jacob  and  his  family  went  into  Egypt,  and  settled 
in  Goshen. 


CHAPTER  IY. 

FROM  THE  DESCENT  INTO  EGYPT  TO  THE  EXODE. 

B.  C.  1706-1491. 

1.  Blessings  and  Death  of  Jacob  and  Joseph.— The  whole 
land  of  the  Egyptians,  except  that  of  the  priests,  was  bought  by 
J oseph  for  corn.  Jacob,  when  about  to  die,  blessed  first  Ephraim 
and  Manasseh,  and  then  his  sons,  and  predicted  their  subsequent 
history.  To  Judah  was  assigned  the  blessing  of  the  first-born, 
with  the  promise  that  from  him  the  Saviour  would  descend. 
The  remains  of  Jacob  were  borne  in  great  state  to  Palestine,  and 
deposited  beside  those  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Sarah  in  the 
cave  of  Maclipelah,  at  Hebron.  Joseph,  when  about  to  die, 
predicted  the  return  of  the  Israelites  to  the  Promised  Land,  and 
charged  his  brethren  to  carry  his  bones  from  Egypt  on  their 


18  Outline  of  Bible  History. 

return  to  Palestine.  He  died  at  tlie  age  of  one  hundred  and 
ten  years. 

2.  The  Bondage  of  Israel  and  Call  of  Moses.— The  Israel- 
ites greatly  increased  in  Egypt,  not  only  tending  their  flocks 
and  herds  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  but  settling  in  cities  and 
towns  and  villages,  and  learning  many  useful  arts,  such  as 
writing,  the  working  of  precious  and  common  metals,  carpen- 
tering, pottery,  gardening,  artificial  irrigation,  agriculture,  em 
balming,  and  the  manufacture  of  cloth.  On  the  accession  of  a 
new  king  to  the  throne,  the  Israelites,  because  of  their  wonder- 
ful prosperity,  were  regarded  with  suspicion  and  hostility, 
and  were  converted  into  bondmen.  Task-masters  were  set  over 
them,  and  they  were  commanded  to  bear  unjust  burdens ; they 
increased,  nevertheless,  even  in  spite  of  an  order  of  the  king  to 
cast  all  the  male  children  into  the  Nile.  Moses,  the  son  of 
Amram  and  Jcchebed,  was  born  B.  C.  1571.  Miriam  was  his 
sister,  and  Aaron  his  brother.  He  wras  hidden  three  months, 
and  then  placed  in  an  ark  of  bulrushes  by  the  side  of  the  river, 
where  he  was  found  by  Pharaoh’s  daughter  and  adopted  by 
her.  He  was  brought  up  at  Pharaoh’s  court,  and  educated  in 
a manner  becoming  his  elevated  position.  He  shared  the  hopes 
and  traditions  of  his  people,  however.  At  forty  years  of  age  he 
slew  an  unmerciful  Egyptian  task-master,  and  hid  his  body  in 
the  sand.  On  discovering  that  the  murder  was  no  secret,  he  fled 
to  the  land  of  Midian,  or  the  Sinaitic  peninsula,  in  Arabia,  on 
the  east  of  the  Red  Sea,  where  the  descendants  of  Abraham  by 
Keturah  had  settled.  Here  he  married  Zipporah,  a daughter 
of  Jethro,  priest  of  Midian,  and  for  forty  years  followed  the 
occupation  of  a shepherd. 

3.  Divine  Preparations  for  the  Deliverance  of  the  Is- 
raelites.— God  appeared  to  Moses  in  a burning  bush  in  Horeb, 
and  appointed  him  to  deliver  the  Israelites  from  bondage, 
(B.  C.  1491.)  In  confirmation  of  the  lofty  commission,  and  to 
inspire  Moses  with  confidence,  God  performed  two  miracles : 
the  rod  of  Moses  was  turned  into  a serpent,  and  then  restored 
to  its  previous  form  ; and  the  hand  of  Moses  was  withered  with 
leprosy,  and  then  healed.  Moses  was  endowed  with  power  to 
work  those  two  miracles,  and  to  turn  water  into  blood.  Aaron 
■was  appointed  to  assist  Moses.  Moses  returned  to  Egypt,  and 
he  and  Aaron  appeared  before  Pharaoh,  and  requested  that  the 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


19 


Israelites  might  be  permitted  to  depart  from  the  country.  The 
request  was  not  only  rejected,  but  the  burdens  of  the  Israelites 
were  increased. 

4.  The  Plagues. — Ten  plagues  inflicted  on  the  Egyptians : 
1,  the  water  of  the  Nile  was  turned  into  blood ; 2,  the  plague 
of  frogs;  3,  of  lice;  4,  of  flies;  5,  murrain  among  cattle; 
6.  plague  of  boils  and  blisters;  7,  thunder  and  hail;  8,  locusts  ; 
9,  darkness;  10,  destruction  of  the  first-born  of  man  and  beasts. 
Before  the  ninth  plague  the  Passover  was  instituted,  the  Lord 
sparing  the  first-born  of  Israel  if  the  lintels  and  side-posts  of  the 
doors  of  their  houses  were  sprinkled  with  blood,  when  he 
passed  through  the  land  to  destroy  the  first-born  of  the 
Egyptians. 

Milman  places  the  date  between  B.  C.  1310  and  1320. 

5.  The  Exode. — (B.  C.  1491.)  Pharaoh  finally  drove  the 
Israelites  out  of  the  country,  and  then  pursued  them.  He  and 
his  army  were  destroyed  in  the  Red  Sea,  after  the  Israelites 
had  passed  safely  over  dry-shod. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

FROM  THE  EXODE  OF  THE  ISRAELITES  TO  THEIR  PASSAGE  OF 
THE  JORDAN. 

B.  C.  1491-1451. 

1.  Beginning  of  the  Pilgrimage  of  Israel— The  Israelites, 
after  crossing  the  Red  Sea,  (near  the  present  Suez,)  entered  the 
Wilderness  of  Shur.  In  three  days  they  reached  a well  of  bitter 
water,  which  they  called  Marah,  ( bitterness .)  Here  they  mur- 
mured; but  on  Moses  casting  into  the  waters  a tree,  which  the 
Lord  showed  him,  they  were  sweetened.  After  a halt  at  Elim 
they  entered  the  Wilderness  of  Sin.  Their  bread  being  con- 
sumed, they  murmured  against  Moses  and  Aaron;  but  on  the 
same  evening  God  sent  them  quails  and  manna.  The  manna 
was  to  be  gathered  on  each  day  except  the  Sabbath. 

2.  Water  from  Horeb. — At  Rephidim,  (places  of  rest,)  which 
the  Israelites  reached  after  seven  days,  there  was  no  longer 


20 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


any  water,  and  the  people  were  so  incensed  against  Moses  that 
they  were  ready  to  stone  him;  but  God  directed  him  to  strike 
a rock  in  Horeb,  from  which  the  waters  gushed  out  in  abun- 
dance. Here  the  Israelites  were  attacked  by  the  Amalekires,  a 
tribe  descended  from  Esau ; but  were  defeated  under  tiie  leader- 
ship of  Joshua,  assisted  by  the  prayers  of  Moses.  Encampment 
on  a plain  at  the  base  of  Mount  Sinai. 

3.  Gift  of  the  Law. — (B.  C.  1491.)  The  Lord  descended  in 
fire  on  the  mountain,  and  called  Moses  to  the  top.  Here  Moses 
was  informed  of  God’s  intention  to  enter  into  a covenant  with 
the  people.  The  people  should  not  come  near  to  the  mountain, 
lest  they  be  destroyed.  The  Lord,  out  of  thick  darkness,  pro- 
claimed the  moral  law,  known  as  the  Decalogue,  or  Ten  Com- 
mandments. Various  political  and  judicial  laws  were  enjoined. 
Moses  was  appointed  mediator  between  God  and  the  people, 
and  in  this  office  he  again  ascended  the  mountain,  and  during 
forty  days  and  nights  continued  in  God’s  presence  and  received 
his  further  commands.  The  ceremonial  law  was  instituted, 
and  Aaron  and  his  sons  set  apart  for  the  priesthood.  God  gave 
Moses  two  tables  of  stone,  on  which  the  law  was  inscribed  with 
his  own  finger. 

The  solid  blocks  or  tables  on  which  the  Ten  Commandments  were  written 
were  of  the  granite  rock  of  Sinai,  as  if  to  teach  us  that  all  the  great  laws  of  duty 
to  God  and  duty  to  man  were  like  that  oldest  primeval  foundation  of  the  world 
— more  solid,  more  enduring  than  all  the  other  strata ; cutting  across  all  the 
secondary  and  artificial  distinctions  of  mankind;  heaving  itself  up,  now  here, 
now  there;  throwing  up  the  fantastic  crag,  there  the  towering  peak,  here  the 
long  range  which  unites  or  divides  the  races  of  mankind.  That  is  the  universal, 
everlasting  character  of  Duty.  But  as  that  granite  rock  itself  has  been  fused 
and  wrought  together  by  a central  fire,  without  which  it  could  not  have  existed 
at  all,  so  also  the  Christian  law  of  Duty,  in  order  to  perform  fully  its  work  in 
the  world,  must  have  been  warmed  at  the  heart  and  fed  at  the  source  by  a 
central  fire  of  its  own — and  that  central  fire  is  Love — the  gracious,  kindly,  gen- 
erous. admiring,  tender  movements  of  the  human  affections ; and  that  central  fire 
itself  is  kept  alive  by  the  consciousness  that  there  has  been  in  the  world  a Love 
beyond  all  human  love,  a devouring  fire  of  Divine  enthusiasm  on  behalf  of  our 
race,  which  is  the  Love  of  Christ,  which  is  of  the  inmost  essence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God.  It  is  not  contrary  to  the  Ten  Commandments.  It  is  not  outside 
of  them ; it  is  within  them ; it  is  at  their  core : it  is  wrapped  up  in  them,  as 
the  particles  of  the  central  beat  of  the  globe  were  encased  within  the  granite 
tables  of  the  Ark  of  the  Temple. — Stanley : History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland. 

4.  The  Golden  Calf. — The  people  grew  impatient  during  the 
long  absence  of  Moses,  and  induced  Aaron  to  make  a golden  calf, 
(probably  in  imitation  of  the  Egyptian  Apis,  an  ox  or  calf 
dedicated  to  the  god  Osiris,)  that  they  might  worship  it. 
Moses,  on  his  return,  cast  the  tables  of  the  law  out  of  his  hands, 
and  broke  them  beneath  the  mount ; he  then  seized  the  golden 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


21 


calf,  burned  it  with  fire,  strewed  the  ashes  in  a neighboring 
brook,  and  c ompelled  the  people  to  drink  the  water  containing 
the  dust.  The  sons  of  Levi  were  found  faithful  to  God,  and 
slew  three  thousand  of  the  people.  Moses  then  ascended  the 
mountain  and  interceded  with  God  in  behalf  of  the  people, 
when  the  tables  of  the  law  were  given  again,  and  God’s  cove- 
nant with  the  people  renewed.  After  returning  to  assure  the 
people  of  the  restoration  of  the  divine  favor,  Moses  again 
ascended  the  mount,  and  received  commands  concerning  the 
government  of  the  host,  and  the  mode  of  worshiping  God. 

5.  Erection  of  the  Tabernacle. — (B.  C.  1490.)  During  the 
encampment  before  Sinai,  which  lasted  more  than  a year,  God 
gave  Moses  directions  for  constructing  a Tabernacle,  where 
religious  services  were  to  be  conducted.  When  completed,  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  tilled  it.  Aaron  and  his  sons  consecrated  to 
the  priesthood.  Among  other  regulations,  laws  were  now 
enjoined  concerning  festivals. 

There  were  three  great  annual  festivals  of  the  Jews,  when  all  males  were 
required  to  appear  before  the  Lord.  1.  The  Passover,  lasting  from  the  14th  to 
the  21st  of  Nisan,  or  Abib,  to  commemorate  the  destruction  of  the  first-born 
of  the  Egyptians  and  the  preservation  of  the  first-born  of  the  Israelites,  and  the 
departure  of  the  latter  from  Egypt.  2.  Pentecost,  (from  the  Greek  word  for 
the  fiftieth  day,)  or  Feast  of  Weeks,  or  of  Harvest,  at  the  end  of  seven  complete 
weeks  from  the  16th  of  Nisan,  a thanksgiving  for  harvest.  It  lasted  one  day. 
3.  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  lasting  seven  days,  kept  in  the  autumn,  from  the  15th 
of  the  seventh  month  Tisri,  to  commemorate  the  sojourning  of  the  Israelites 
in  the  wilderness  when  they  dwelt  in  tents ; hence  during  it  the  people  were 
commanded  to  live  in  tents,  or  booths  of  green  boughs  of  various  trees.  It 
was  also  called  the  Feast  of  the  Ingathering,  to  celebrate  the  gathering  of  the 
fruits  in  the  autumn. 


6.  The  March  from  Sinai. — Shortly  after  the  march  was 
resumed  the  people  murmured,  and  God  destroyed  the  mur- 
murers  by  a supernatural  fire,  on  which  account  Moses  called 
the  place  Taberali,  {the  burning.)  The  people  complaining  for 
flesh,  God  sent  them  quails  in  great  abundance ; after  eating 
them  the  Israelites  were  smitten  with  a severe  plague,  which 
destroyed  many  mighty  men.  The  place  where  they  were 
buried  was  called  Kibroth-hattaavah,  {graves  of  lust.)  Pro- 
ceeding to  Hazeroth  they  were  joined  by  Zipporah,  the  Ethiopian 
wife  of  Moses,  who  excited  the  jealousy  of  Miriam  ; for  this  sin 
Miriam  was  smitten  with  leprosy,  but  was  healed  at  the  inter- 
cession of  Moses.  From  Kadesh-barnea  twelve  spies,  the  most 
prominent  being  Caleb  and  Joshua,  were  sent  to  search  the  land 
of  Canaan  and  report  concerning  it.  All  the  spies,  except 
2 


22 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


Caleb  and  Joshua,  brought  back  an  unfavorable  report.  The 
Israelites  were  stricken  with  terror  at  the  news,  and  wished  to 
return  to  Egypt,  even  threatening  to  stone  Caleb  and  Joshua. 
God  would  have  punished  the  people  with  death  but  for  the 
intercession  of  Moses.  All  who  were  twenty  years  old  and 
upward,  except  Caleb  and  Joshua,  were  to  die  in  the  wilderness 
for  their  unbelief.  An  attempt  to  enter  Canaan  by  a way  con- 
trary to  God’s  will,  frustrated  by  a signal  defeat  by  the  Amorites 
and  the  Amalekites. 

7.  Rebellion  against  Moses;  Fiery  Serpents. — Korah, 
Dathan,  and  Abiram  rebelled  against*  Moses.  Moses  leaving 
the  issue  with  God,  the  earth  opened  and  swallowed  them  up, 
and  all  belonging  to  them,  and  a fire  from  heaven  destroyed  two 
hundred  and  fifty  who  dared  to  offer  incense  at  the  sanctuary. 
On  the  Israelites  murmuring  against  Moses  and  Aaron,  a plague 
broke  out,  which  destroyed  fourteen  thousand  and  seven  hundred 
of  them.  God  expressed  his  approval  of  Aaron  as  high  priest 
by  causing  his  rod  to  bud.  Aaron  died  on  Mount  Hor,  and 
w as  succeeded  by  his  son  Eleazar.  King  Arad,  the  Canaanite, 
attacked  the  Israelites,  and  was  defeated  at  Hormah.  The 
people,  murmuring  afresh  against  Moses,  bitten  by  fiery  ser- 
pents. On  the  people  repenting,  God  directed  Moses  to  make 
a brazen  serpent,  and  set  it  on  a pole;  all  who  had  been  bitten, 
wdien  they  beheld  it,  were  healed. 

8.  Prophecy  of  Balaam. — Sibon,  king  of  the  Amorites,  who 
occupied  the  country  between  the  Arnon  and  the  Jabbok,  was 
defeated  by  the  Israelites  when  attempting  to  prevent  their  pas- 
sage through  his  territory.  Og,  king  of  Bashan,  which  lay 
between  the  Jabbok  and  Mount  Hermon,  wTas  defeated  and 
slain  at  Edrei  ( strength ) by  the  Israelites.  Balak,  king  of  Moab, 
desired  Balaam,  a celebrated  heathen  prophet,  to  arrest  the  prog- 
ress of  the  Israelites  by  his  curses ; but  Balaam  w7as  compelled 
by  God’s  Spirit  to  bless  them.  Balaam  prophesied  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah.  At  Baal-peor  the  Israelites  committed  idolatry, 
and  twenty  thousand  were  destroyed  by  a plague.  The  Mid- 
ianites  defeated  and  routed  by  the  Israelites,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Pliineh  as.  Balaam  slain.  Reuben,  Gad,  and  half  the 
tribe  of  Manasseli  wrere  assigned  settlements  east  of  the  Jordan. 

9 Death  of  Moses. — Moses,  admonished  by  God  of  his  ap- 
proaching death,  gave  instructions  for  the  future  government 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


23 


of  tlie  people,  and  repeated  the  moral,  ceremonial,  and  political 
law.  After  pronouncing  his  last  blessing  he  ascended  Mount 
Nebo,  from  the  plains  of  Moab,  and  beheld  the  Promised  Land. 
He  died  there,  (B.  C.  1451,)  and  God  buried  him  in  the  valley 
of  Moab.  His  sepulcher  has  remained  unknown.  Joshua, 
by  God’s  appointment,  succeeded  Moses,  and  sent  spies  to 
Jericho;  they  were  received  and  concealed  by  Rahab. 


A 

CHAPTER  VI. 

FROM  THE  PASSAGE  OF  THE  JORDAN  TO  THE  MONARCHY. 

B.  C.  1451-1095. 

1.  First  Events  after  Entering  Palestine. — The  Israelites 
crossed  the  Jordan,  (B.  C.  1451,)  the  waters  dividing  for  their 
passage.  Twelve  stones,  taken  from  the  bed  of  the  river,  were 
set  up  at  Gil  gal.  The  rite  of  circumcision  renewed,  and  the 
Passover  celebrated.  Jericho,  which  lay  in  the  way  of  Israel, 
besieged  and  miraculously  destroyed,  with  great  spoils  at  the 
mercv  of  the  Israelites.  At  Ai  the  Israelites  were  defeated, 
through  the  sin  of  A chan,  who  had  secretly  appropriated  part 
of  the  spoils  of  Jericho ; he  and  all  his  family  destroyed.  Ai, 
attacked  for  the  second  time,  now  captured.  The  command  of 
Moses  relating  to  the  ratification  of  the  law  on  Mounts  Ebal  and 
Gerizim  carried  out,  half  of  the  tribes  ascending  Ebal,  and  the 
other  half  Gerizim.  The  priests,  who  stood  in  the  intermediate 
valley,  read  the  blessings  and  the  curses  of  the  law;  to  the 
former  the  six  tribes  on  Gerizim  responded  with  a loud  Amen, 
and  to  the  latter  those  on  Ebal  made  a similar  response. 

2 Victories.  — Joshua  entered  into  a league  wdth  the  Gibeon- 
ites,  who,  by  a special  embassy,  had  deceived  him  ; the  bond 
kept,  but  tke-Gibeonites  were  made  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers 
of  water.  Five  Canaanite  kings  made  war  upon  the  Gibeonites, 
because  of  their  defection  to  what  was  considered  the  national 
cause,  and  were  defeated  by  Joshua  at  the  battle  of  Betli-boron, 
{the  house  of  caves.)  During  the  battle  the  sun  and  moon  stood 
still  at  the  command  of  Joshua,  thus  giving  sufficient  time  to 
pursue  the  enemy  to  Makkedah,  in  the  maritime  plain,  and 


24  Outline  of  Bible  History. 

make  the  defeat  an  utter  route.  The  five  kings,  who  hid  them- 
selves in  a cave,  slain.  This  great  battle,  the  most  important 
in  its  bearings  on  the  future  of  the  country  ever  fought  in 
Palestine,  followed  by  the  conquest  of  the  seven  kings  of  Mak- 
kedah,  Libnah,  Lachish,  Gezer,  Eglon,  and  Hebron. 

3.  Result  of  the  War. — The  campaign  gave  the  southern 
half  of  Palestine  to  the  Israelites,  and  they  then  inarched  back 
to  their  camp  at  Gilgal.  Jabin,  ( the  wise ,)  king  of  Hazor,  the 
chief  city  of  northern  Palestine,  gathered  his  confederates  to 
defeat  Israel.  But  though  their  army  was  “ as  the  sand  on  the 
sea-shore  for  multitude,”  they  were  routed  by  Joshua  at  the 
waters  of  Merom,  (B.  C.  1445.)  The  whole  land,  save  some 
Canaanite  remnants,  in  the  hands  of  the  Israelites.  They  had 
conquered  six  nations  and  thirty-one  king's  since  crossing  the 
Jordan,  seven  years  previously. 

4.  Division  of  the  Country.— Reuben,  Gad,  and  the  half- 
tribe of  Manasseh,  before  crossing  the  Jordan  to  take  possession 
of  the  territory  already  assigned  them,  erected  the  altar  Ed,  (wit- 
ness?) which  was  regarded  by  their  brethren  as  a proof  of  apostasy, 
and,  therefore,  a just  ground  of  war.  The  nine  and  a half  tribes 
disabused  of  their  error  on  the  return  of  an  embassy,  consisting 
of  Phinehas  and  ten  princes,  sent  to  the  two  and  a half  tribes. 
The  country  west  of  the  Jordan  divided  between  the  nine  and 
a half  tribes;  the  allotments  made  not  only  to  the  tribes  as  a 
whole,  but  to  the  families  of  each  tribe ; the  preponderance 
given  to  Judah  and  Joseph,  because  of  their  pre-eminence  as 
prince  and  heir  of  the  whole  family.  Six  cities  of  refuge 
appointed,  three  west  of  the  Jordan,  (Kadesh,  Shechem,  Hebron,) 
and  three  east,  (Bezer,  Ramoth,  Golan.) 

5.  Death  of  Joshua. — Joshua  gave  his  final  exhortation  to 
the  people  at  Shechem,  reviewing  their  history,  and  exhorting 
them  to  perform  all  their  duties  faithfully  in  future.  The 
people  solemnly  renewed  their  covenant  with  God.  Joshua, 
after  dismissing  them  to  their  homes,  died,  about  B.  C.  1426-25, 
and  was  buried  at  Timnath-serah. 

6.  Capture  of  Jerusalem,  and  Idolatry  in  the  North,— 
Judah,  in  alliance  with  Simeon,  attacked  and  captured  Bezek ; 
they  slew  ten  thousand  inhabitants,  and  mutilated  its  king, 
Adoni-bezek,  as  a retribution  for  his  treatment  of  his  prisoners. 
The  lower  part  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  captured.  The  people 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


25 


rebuked  by  an  angel  of  the  Lord  at  Bocliim  for  not  driving  the 
Canaanites  completely  out  of  the  land.  The  results  of  the  dis- 
obedience constantly  seen  in  the  military  opposition  to  the  tribes 
and  the  constant  temptations  to  idolatry.  Micah,  an  Ephraimite, 
set  up  two  graven  images  in  his  house,  and  a young  Levite,  who 
was  a descendant  of  Moses,  was  his  priest,  and  received  for  his 
services  ten  shekels  of  silver,  suitable  vestments,  and  his  living. 
The  images  captured  by  six  hundred  Danites,  who  were  guided 
by  five  spies  that  had  been  sent  northward  to  select  a more 
favorable  settlement  for  the  tribe.  The  conquerors  themselves 
became  idolators,  having  set  up  the  images  in  the  new  city  of 
Dan,  built  on  the  site  of  Laish,  which  they  had  burned  down, 
and  whose  inhabitants  they  had  massacred. 

The  great  tribal  war,  (B.  C.  1413,)  caused  by  the  crime  of  the 
Benjaraites  of  Gibeah,  for  which  they  nearly  suffered  exter- 
mination. 

7.  Beginning  of  the  Period  of  the  Judges.— There  were 
great  disorders  during  this  period,  chiefly  owing  to  the  heathen 
sympathies  of  the  tribes.  Their  condition  grew  worse,  and 
God  withdrew  his  presence  from  them.  On  their  repentance 
he  heard  their  cry,  and  raised  them  up  Judges,  or  Deliverers, 
who  were  the  instruments  of  saving  them  from  their  enemies. 
The  eastern  tribes  were  grievously  oppressed  for  eight  years  by 
Chuslian-rishathaim,  king  of  Mesopotamia,  because  of  their 
idolatry;  delivered  by  the  first  of  the  judges,  Othniel,  {lion  of 
God ,)  son-in-law  of  Caleb,  after  w'hich  the  land  had  rest  for 
forty  years. 

8.  Relapse  into  Idolatry. — After  the  death  of  Othniel  the 
eastern  tribes  again  fell  into  idolatry,  and  were  oppressed  by 
the  Moabites,  Ammonites,  and  Amalekites,  who  crossed  the 
Jordan  and  seized  the  site  of  Jericho.  From  this  point  Eglon, 
king  of  Moab,  extended  his  dominion  over  at  least  the  tribe  of 
Benjamin,  and  exacted  from  the  people  for  eighteen  years  an 
annual  tribute,  which  was  brought  to  him  at  Jericho.  Ehud, 
a Benjamite,  slew  Eglon,  and  afterward  the  Israelites  killed 
ten  thousand  of  the  Moabites,  who  had  fled  toward  the  fords 
of  the  Jordan  to  cross.  Ehud  now  became  Judge,  and  Benja- 
min had  rest  eighty  years.  The  south-west  borders  invaded  and 
ravaged  by  the  Philistines,  who  were  resisted  and  defeated  by 
Shamgar. 


26  Outline  of  Bible  History. 

9.  The  History  of  Ruth,  the  Moabitess.— The  exact  time 
when  Ruth  lived  is  uncertain,  some  placing  it  in  the  days  of 
Ehud,  and  others  later,  in  the  judgeship  of  Gideon.  During  a 
famine  in  Bethlehem-judali  a family,  consisting  of  Elimelech, 
Naomi,  and  their  sons,  Mahlon  and  Chilion,  crossed  the  Jordan 
and  sought  a home  in  Moab.  Elimelech  having  died,  his  sons 
married  two  Moabite  women,  Orpah  and  Ruth.  After  ten 
years  their  husband  died,  and  their  mother-in-law  returned  to 
her  native  land,  Ruth  resolving  to  accompany  her.  Ruth 
gleaned  near  Bethlehem  in  the  fields  of  Boaz,  a wealthy  kins- 
man of  Elimelech.  Boaz  redeemed  the  land  which  had  belonged 
to  Elimelech,  and  married  Ruth,  by  whom  he  became  the  father 
of  Obed,  the  grandfather  of  David,  and  ancestor  of  Jesus. 

10.  Victory  of  Deborah  and  Barak. — The  northern  tribes 
became  idolatrous  after  the  death  of  Ehud,  and  were  oppressed 
by  Jabin,  king  of  the  Canaanites.  The  land  seemed  without  a 
deliverer.  Finally,  (B.  C.  1285,)  help  appeared  in  the  persons 
of  Deborah,  a prophetess,  and  Barak,  ( lightning ,)  who  defeated 
the  Canaanites  in  the  battle  of  Megiddo,  or  of  the  Kishon. 
Sisera,  the  commander  of  the  defeated  army,  was  killed  by 
Jael,  wife  of  Heber,  the  Kenite.  Deborah  composed  a song  of 
triumph. 

11.  Gideon. — The  Israelites  of  the  north  and  east  relapsed 
into  all  the  abominations  of  the  idolatrous  worship  of  the 
heathen,  and  their  country  was  invaded  by  Midianites,  and  op- 
pressed by  them  for  seven  years.  The  Lord  appeared  to  Gideon, 
who  was  now  commissioned  to  deliver  Israel.  The  enemy  routed 
by  him  at  Jezreel.  Gideon  refused  to  be  king.  The  land  had 
rest  from  its  enemies  for  forty  years.  After  the  death  of  Gideon, 
(B.  C.  1235,)  Abimelech,  his  illegitimate  son,  murdered  all  his 
brethren,  except  Jotham,  the  youngest,  and  was  crowned  king 
by  the  people  of  Sliechem. 

12.  Abimelech  — Tola— Jair  — Jephthah.— The  people  in- 
duced to  rebel  by  Gaal,  the  son  of  Ebed,  in  consequence  of  which 
Abimelech  destroyed  Sliechem,  killed  all  the  people,  and  sowed 
the  site  of  the  city  with  salt.  When  Abimelech  was  besieging 
Thebez  a woman  threw  a piece  of  millstone  upon  his  head, 
fracturing  his  skull ; but  lie,  unwilling  to  die  by  the  hand  of  a 
woman,  ordered  his  armor-bearer  to  kill  him  with  a sword. 
He  can  hardly  be  reckoned  as  a Judge,  but  rather  an  un- 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


27 


principled  adventurer,  a usurper,  recognized  as  king  only  by 
the  Shechemites.  Tola,  (little  worm)  of  the  tribe  of  Issachar, 
was  Judge  twenty-three  years:  and  Jair,  (enlightening)  a 
Gileadite,  twenty-two  years.  The  land  conquered,  and  the 
people  oppressed  by  the  Philistines  and  Amorites  as  a punish- 
ment for  relapsing  into  gross  idolatry.  Judah,  Benjamin,  and 
Ephraim  ravaged  by  the  enemy.  In  answer  to  their  penitent 
prayer,  however,  the  Lord  raised  up  a deliverer,  Jephthath,  who 
routed  the  Amorites  at  Aroer,  and  captured  twenty  cities  from 
that  city  to  Minnith.  Jephthah,  in  performance  of  a vow  that, 
in  case  of  victory,  he  would  offer  up  whatever  came  out  of  his 
house  first  to  meet  him  on  his  return,  sacrificed  his  own  daughter 
as  a burnt-offering. 

Hales  holds  that  Jephthah  did  not  sacrifice  his  daughter,  and  that  it  is  a mis 
translation  in  our  version  which  gives  the  account  that  appearance.  Richard 
Watson : If  it  could  be  more  clearly  established  that  Jephthah  actually  immo- 
lated his  daughter,  there  is  not  the  least  evidence  that  his  conduct  was  sanc- 
tioned by  God.  He  was  manifestly  a superstitious  and  ill-instructed  man,  and, 
like  Samson,  an  instrument  of  God’s  power  rather  than  an  example  <3f  his  grace. 

The  Epliraimites  quarreled  with  Jephthah  for  not  giving 
them  a share  in  his  victorious  campaign,  and  he  slew  forty-two 
thousand  of  them. 

Jephthah  was  Judge  six  years,  after  which  he  died.  In  north 
western  Israel,  Ibzan,  of  Bethlehem  in  Zebulun,  judged  aPer 
him  seven  years ; Elon,  of  the  same  tribe,  ten  years ; Abdon,  of 
Pirathon,  near  Shecliem,  eight  years.  The  Philistines,  after 
establishing  themselves  in  the  south-western  lowlands,  com- 
menced a systematic  course  of  deadly  hostility  against  the 
Israelites.  Dan,  already  hard  pushed  by  the  Amorites,  suf- 
fered the  most. 

13.  Samson. — Samson,  (the  sunlike,  or  the  strong)  born 
B.  C.  1155.  He  was  distinguished  for  supernatural  strength; 
married  a Philistine  woman;  inflicted  severe  blows  on  the 
Philistines,  the  first  in  consequence  of  his  wife  being  given  by 
her  father  to  another  man;  revealed  the  secret  of  his  strength 
to  Delilah,  another  Philistine  woman ; and  fell  into  the  hands  of 
his  enemies,  who  destroyed  his  eyes,  and  made  him  grind  corn 
in  the  prison-house  at  Gaza,  (the  strong)  The  Philistines,  in 
honor  of  deliverance  from  their  foe,  held  a great  festival  to 
Dagon,  their  national  deity.  Samson  was  brought  out  of 
prison  to  make  sport  for  his  captors;  but,  having  recovered 


28 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


his  strength,  he  pulled  down  the  temple,  killing  himself  and 
the  great  numbers  who  were  within  it  and  on  the  roof. 

14.  Defeat  of  Israel,  and  Loss  and  Return  of  the  Ark.— 
Eli  was  high-priest  at  Shiloh  during  the  twenty  years  that 
Samson  was  judge.  Within  this  time  Samuel  {the  asked , or 
heard  of  God)  was  born,  and  devoted  by  his  mother  Hannah  to 
the  Lord.  At  the  battle  of  Aphek  the  Philistines  defeated  the 
Israelites,  with  a loss  of  four  thousand  men ; in  a second  con- 
flict they  slew  thirty  thousand  Israelites,  and  among  the  number 
the  two  wicked  sons  of  Eli,  Hophni  and  Phinehas.  Eli,  on  learn- 
ing the  sad  news,  fell  from  his  seat  and  broke  his  neck  and  died. 

In  this  battle  the  Philistines  captured  the  ark  and  carried  it 
off  to  Ashdod,  and  placed  it  in  the  temple  of  Dagon,  their  god. 
But  the  idol  of  the  Philistines  fell  down  twice,  and  the  second 
time  was  broken  to  pieces;  the  crops  were  destroyed,  and  the 
people  afflicted  in  body  by  a plague.  The  ark  was  considered 
an  unfortunate  possession,  and  the  Philistines  placed  it  on  a 
new  cart,  to  which  two  milch-kin©  were  tied  that  had  never 
before  borne  a yoke,  and  it  was  drawn  to  Betli-shemesh.  Many 
people  of  that  place,  fifty  thousand  and  seventy  in  number, 
were  stricken  instantly  with  death  for  looking  into  it.  It 
was  then  taken  to  Kirjath-jearim,  {the  fields  of  the  wood)  where 
it  remained  until  the  time  of  David,  who  removed  it  to 
Jerusalem. 

15.  Samuel’s  Effort  at  Reformation,  and  the  Anoint- 
ment of  Saul  as  King. — Samuel  censured  the  people  at  Miz- 
peh,  and  urged  them  to  repent  of  their  idolatry.  They  heeded 
his  admonition,  and  the  Philistines,  who  heard  of  the  assembly, 
immediately  attacked  them,  but  were  defeated  with  great 
slaughter  and  utterly  disorganized.  A stone  set  up  by  Samuel 
in  commemoration  of  the  victory ; it  was  called  Ebenezer,  {the 
stone  of  help)  Samuel,  now  confirmed  as  judge,  assisted  later 
by  his  sons  Joel  and  Abiah,  who  became  odious  to  the  people 
because  of  their  excessive  usury.  The  people  now  demanded  a 
king,  Samuel  being  old,  his  corrupt  sons  giving  no  ground  of 
hope,  and  the  enemies  on  both  the  east  and  south-west  frontiers 
threatening  to  make  war  upon  their  country.  But  the  demand 
was  contrary  to  God’s  command  and  wish.  Samuel,  by  God’s 
direction,  privately  anointed  Saul,  the  son  of  Kish,  a Benjamite, 
as  king,  B.  C.  1095. 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


29 


16.  Judges  in  Chronological  Order.— There  were  fourteen 
judges,  Deborah  being  reckoned  with  her  male  associate,  Barak : 
Othniel,  Ehud,  Shamgar,  Deborah  and  Barak,  Gideon,  Abime- 
lech,  (only  as  king,)  Tola,  Jair,  Jephthah,  Ibzan,  Elon,  Abdon, 
Samson,  Eli,  Samuel.  Their  periods  of  judgeship  extended 
over  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  years. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

FROM  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  MONARCHY  TO  ITS  DIVISION. 

B.  C.  1095^975. 

1.  Reign  of  Saul. — The  new  king,  privately  anointed,  but 
still  needing  a public  confirmation  ; the  people  came  to  Mizpeli 
at  Samuel’s  command,  and  the  lot  fell  on  Saul,  who  was  now 
proclaimed  king.  The  Ammonites  shortly  after  besieged 
Jabesh-gilead,  under  their  king,  Nahash,  and  were  defeated  by 
Saul  with  great  slaughter.  Formally  inaugurated  king  at 
Gilgal.  Samuel  made  his  first  address  to  the  people,  exhorting 
them  to  the  faithful  service  of  God. 

2.  Sins  of  Saul, — The  Philistines  terribly  oppressed  Israel, 
and  made  them  hopeless  of  resistance.  Saul,  weary  of  waiting 
for  the  aged  Samuel  to  come  to  Gilgal  and  offer  sacrifice,  prob- 
ably preparatory  to  some  fixed  plan  of  action,  offered  sacrifices 
himself,  and  was  therefor  rebuked  by  Samuel,  and  told  by  him 
that  the  kingdom  would  depart  from  his  family.  The  Philis- 
tines routed  at  Mich  mash.  Successful  wars  carried  on  against 
Moab,  Ammon,  Edom,  the  Philistines,  and  the  kings  of  Zobah, 
a region  east  of  Ccelo-Syria,  and  extending  toward  the  Eu- 
phrates. 

Saul  sinned  a second  time  by  sparing  Agag,  king  of  the 
Amalekites,  whom  he  had  completely  defeated  in  battle,  and 
was  ordered  by  the  Lord  to  utterly  destroy.  Agag  hewed  in 
pieces  by  Samuel  before  the  Lord. 

3.  David  designated  King. — David,  the  youngest  son  of 
Jesse,  of  Bethlehem,  privately  anointed  future  king  by  Samuel 
at  command  of  God.  The  Philistines  rising  in  war  against  the 
Israelites,  their  champion,  Goliath,  was  slain  by  David.  David 


30 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


was  lauded  very  much  by  the  people ; he  thereby  provoked  the 
jealousy  of  Saul,  who  now  regarded  him  with  aversion;  and 
though  David  married  Michal,  Saul's  daughter,  and  was  cap- 
tain of  the  king’s  body  guard,  Saul  gave  orders  to  kill  him. 

4.  David  fleeing  before  Saul. — David  meeting  with  new 
successes  against  the  Philistines,  Saul  employed  fresh  measures 
to  take  his  life.  David  fled  to  Naiotli,  (huts,  or  habitations ,) 
where  he  was  with  Samuel.  The  friendship  formerly  existing 
between  him  and  Jonathan,  Saul’s  son,  renewed,  and  he  then, 
in  order  to  escape  from  Saul,  fled  in  turns  to  Nob  ' near  Jerusalem) 
to  the  court  of  Achisli,  king  of  Gath,  and  to  the  cave  of  Adul- 
lam,  near  Bethlehem.  A band  gathered  about  him,  consisting 
of  his  brethren,  his  nephews  Joab,  Abishai,  and  Asahel,  and 
four  hundred  men  besides.  He  sent  his  father  and  mother 
across  to  Moab  for  protection,  and  established  himself  as  an 
independent  chieftain.  Taking  the  advice  of  the  prophet  Gad, 
he  went  to  the  forest  of  Hareth,  and  then  to  Keilah,  where  he 
gained  a victory  over  the  Philistines.  A plot  being  laid  for 
his  surrender  to  Saul,  he  removed  to  the  wilderness  of  Ziph, 
between  Carmel  and  Juttah.  Saul  learned  of  his  movements 
and  pursued  him  further.  David  fled  to  the  wilderness  of 
Maou,  and  then  to  the  wilderness  of  Engedi,  ( the  spring  of  the 
wild  goats,)  on  the  western  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea,  whither  he 
was  pursued  by  Saul  with  three  thousand  men.  Saul  was  twice 
at  his  mercy,  but  David  spared  him. 

5.  Death  of  Samuel  and  Saul.— Samuel  died,  B.  C.  1060. 
David  fled  to  Aehish,  who  gave  him  the  city  of  Ziklag  for  a 
dwelling-place.  Thence  he  made  an  expedition  against  the 
Amalekites  and  other  tribes,  and  acquired  much  spoil.  He 
accompanied  the  Philistines  in  their  attack  on  Saul  at  Gilboa ; 
but,  being  distrusted  by  some  of  the  Philistine  chiefs,  was  dis- 
missed. Saul  and  three  sons  slain  on  Mount  Gilboa,  and  greatly 
lamented  by  David. 

6.  David’s  Reign. — B.  C.  1056-1016.  David,  after  the  death 
of  Saul,  went  to  Hebron,  where  he  was  proclaimed  king  of 
Judah.  Ishbosheth,  son  of  Saul,  proclaimed  king  of  Israel  by 
the  remaining  eleven  tribes,  through  the  advice  and  assistance  of 
Abner,  and  civil  war  ensued.  Abner  forsook  Ishbosheth  and 
joined  David;  treacherously  slain  by  Joab,  in  revenge  for 
Abner’s  slaying  Joab’s  brother  Asahel.  Ishbosheth  was  mur- 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


35 


clered  by  liis  two  captains,  Bn  an  ah  and  Rechab.  The  assassins 
punished  by  David,  who  was  now  proclaimed  king  over  all 
Israel,  B.  C.  1048,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven  years.  Jerusalem 
captured  by  him,  and  made  the  capital  of  his  kingdom.  He 
brought  the  ark  from  Kirjath-jearim,  and  placed  it  in  a new 
tabernacle  on  Mount  Zion,  near  his  own  residence. 

David  now  desired  to  build  a temple  for  the  worship  of 
Jehovah,  but  was  forbidden  by  God  through  the  prophet 
Nathan,  because  he  had  shed  much  blood. 

Early  period  of  David’s  reign  marked  by  great  military  suc- 
cesses: 1.  Conquest  of  the  Philistines  and  capture  of  the  city 
of  Gath  ; 2.  Victories  over  the  Moabites,  Syrians  of  Damascus, 
Edomites,  and  Ammonites.  He  committed  the  double  crime  of 
adultery  and  murder,  previous  to  which  he  had  been  uniformly 
successful  over  his  enemies.  The  reduction  of  Rabbath  was 
the  last  important  conquest  before  his  kingdom  reached  the 
climax  of  its  magnitude. 

David  had  fifteen  sons,  six  born  in  Hebron  and  nine  in  Jeru- 
salem, besides  those  by  his  concubines.  The  most  noted  were 
Amnon,  Absalom,  Adonijah,  and  Solomon.  David’s  daughter 
Tamar  dishonored  by  her  half-brother  Amnon,  who  was  slain 
by  Absalom.  Absalom  conspired  against  his  father,  but  was 
defeated  by  David’s  forces  in  a dense  forest  near  Mahanaim, 
and  slain  by  Joab  as  he  hung  in  a tree  by  his  long  hair. 

Sheba,  a Benjamite,  revolted;  pursued  by  Joab,  and  slain  by 
his  own  followers  at  Abel,  near  the  waters  of  Merom.  A famine 
occurred,  lasting  three  years.  The  Philistines,  growing  rebel- 
lious under  their  subjection,  were  defeated,  and  after  four  great 
battles  their  land  was  reconquered  by  David. 

David,  in  opposition  to  God’s  will,  took  a census  of  his  peo- 
ple, followed  by  a plague  which  destroyed  seventy  thousand 
persons.  He  made  preparations  for  the  building  of  the  temple, 
which  should  be  consummated  by  his  son  Solomon.  Adoni- 
jah conspired  against  his  father  David,  when  the  latter  gave 
orders  that  Solomon  should  be  formally  anointed  and  pro- 
claimed king.  Adonijah  submitted  to  Solomon.  David  in  his 
final  charge  to  his  people  exhorted  them  to  fear  God,  and 
gave  Solomon  a plan  for  the  temple,  and  such  materials  for 
its  construction  as  he  had  collected.  Death  of  David,  B.  C. 
1016. 


36 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


7.  Reign  of  Solomon. — B.  C.  1016-976.  Solomon  offered  at 
Gibeon  one  thousand  burnt  offerings,  and  on  the  following 
night  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  and  bade  him  ask  what  He 
should  give  him.  Solomon  asked  for  wisdom,  which,  with 
both  wealth  and  honor,  was  granted  him.  Adonijah,  who  again 
exhibited  treacherous  designs,  was  put  to  death. 

Vigorous  measures  employed  for  building  the  temple.  Hi- 
ram, king  of  Tyre,  furnished  the  timber,  and  Solomon  paid  him 
yearly  therefor  both  wheat  and  oil.  Solomon  married  the 
daughter  of  the  King  of  Egypt. 

Foundations  of  the  temple  laid  on  Mount  Moriah,  in  the 
fourth  year  of  Solomon’s  reign.  Dedicated  B.  C.  1004.  Dur- 
ing the  dedication  God  gave  a visible  sign  of  his  favor  by  fire 
coming  down  from  heaven  and  consuming  the  burnt  offerings 
and  sacrifices,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  filling  the  house. 
The  festival  lasted  seven  days,  and  was  followed  by  the  Feast 
of  Tabernacles,  which  continued  fourteen  days.  The  sacrifices 
consisted  of  twenty-two  thousand  oxen,  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  sheep.  The  Ark  was  removed  from  David’s 
Tabernacle,  and  deposited  in  the  Holy  of  Holies.  God,  in  a 
second  vision  to  Solomon,  assured  him  of  His  favor  if  he 
proved  faithful,  and  warned  him  of  certain  retribution  in  case 
of  sin. 

Solomon  built  other  structures  and  cities  of  great  splendor, 
such  as  a palace  for  Pharaoh’s  daughter,  one  of  his  wives; 
fortifications  of  Baalath,  Gezer,  Beth-horon,  Hazor,  Megiddo; 
the  city  of  Tadmor,  afterward  called  Palmyra,  and  Tiplisah,  or 
Thapsacus.  He  was  visited  by  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  who  had 
heard  in  her  own  country  of  his  great  wisdom. 

Solomon  was  led  into  idolatry  by  his  wives,  whom  he  had 
taken  from  heathen  nations,  and  he  set  up  altars  in  Jerusalem 
to  Baal,  Ashtaroth,  Molech,  and  Chemosh.  Enemies  now  ap- 
peared: first,  Hadad  the  Edomite,  and  Rezon,  the  king  of 
Damascus;  then,  Jeroboam,  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim.  This 
last  had  been  told  by  the  prophet  Ahijah  that  the  kingdom 
would  be  divided,  and  that  the  Lord  would  make  him  king  of 
Israel. 

Solomon  died,  B.  C.  975,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight  years. 

Solomon’s  dominion  was  more  widely  extended  than  that  of  any  other  Hebrew 
monarch.  During  his  earlier  years  he  was  blessed  with  uninterrupted  peace; 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


37 


under  him  the  Jews  first  exhibited  a genius  for  commerce,  and  the  national 
wealth  was  largely  increased.  Only  three  of  Solgmon’s  writings  are  extant  and 
belong  to  the  Biblical  Canon : Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  and  The  Song  of  Solomon. 
The  Book  of  Wisdom  and  Ecclesiasticus  have  been  ascribed  to  him.  Josephus 
says  that  Solomon  wrote  three  thousand  books  of  Proverbs.  His  works  on 
nature  are  alleged  by  some  to  have  been  translated  into  the  writings  of  Aristotle 
and  Theophrastus ; Eusebius  says  they  were  suppressed  by  Hezekiah. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FROM  THE  DIVISION  OF  THE  MONARCHY  TO  THE  FINAL  CAPTURE 
OF  JERUSALEM. 

B.  C.  975-587. 


1.  Table  of  the  Kings  of  Judah  and  Israel. 


B.  C. 

Judah. 

Israel.- 

B.C. 

Judah. 

Israel. 

976 

Rehoboam. 

Jeroboam. 

823 

Jeroboam  II. 

959 

Abijah,  or 

808 

Uzziah,  or 

Abijam. 

Azariah. 

956 

Asa. 

783 

Interregnum . 

955 

Nadab. 

771 

Zechariah. 

953 

Baasha. 

770 

Shallum. 

931 

Elah. 

770 

Menahem. 

930 

Zitnri. 

759 

Pekahiah. 

930 

Omri. 

757 

Pekah. 

919 

Ahab. 

756 

Jotham. 

915 

Jehoshaphat. 

741 

Ahaz. 

898 

Ahaziah. 

738 

Interregnum . 

895 

Jehoram,  or 

730 

Hoshea. 

Joram. 

726 

Hezekiah. 

891 

Jehoram  ? 

721 

The  Ten  Tribes 

(in  coni  unc- 

carried into 

tion  with  his 

Captivity. 

father.) 

697 

Manasseh. 

889 

Jehoram, 

642 

Amon. 

(alone.) 

640 

Josiah. 

884 

Ahaziah. 

609 

Jehoahaz,  or 

883 

Athaliah. 

Jehu. 

Shallum. 

877 

Joash.  or  Je- 

609 

Jehoiakim. 

hoasn. 

598 

Jehoiachin, 

855 

Jehoahaz. 

Coniah,  or 

841 

Jehoash, 

Jeconiah. 

(in  conjunc- 

598 

Zedektah. 

tion  with  his 

587 

Jerusalem 

father.) 

finely  taken. 

839 

Jehoash, 

837 

Amaziah. 

(alone.) 

Rehoboam,  son  and  successor  of  Solomon,  was  forty-one 
years  old  on  his  accession  to  the  throne,  B.  C.  975.  The  people 
demanded  redress  for  their  grievances,  and,  being  refused,  ten 


38  Outline  of  Bible  History. 

tribes  revolted  and  made  Jeroboam  king.  Two  tribes,  Judah 
and  Benjamin,  remained  faithful  to  Rehoboam,  who  became 
king  of  Judah.  Judah  still  worshiped  the  true  God  at  Jeru- 
salem, but  Jeroboam  made  two  golden  calves,  probably  after  the 
Egyptian  Apis,  for  Israel,  one  in  Bethel  and  the  other  in  Dan. 
Tiie  kingdom  of  Israel  lasted  two  hundred  and  fifty-four  years, 
(B.  C.  975-721,)  and  that  of  Judah  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  years,  B.  C.  588.  Israel  had  nineteen  kings,  and  Judah 
twenty,  counting  Athaliah. 

KINGS  OF  JUDAH  AND  ISRAEL  IN  CONNECTION. 

2.  Hostility  between  the  Two  Kingdoms.  Idolatry  in 
Israel. — Shechem  rebuilt  by  Jeroboam,  and  made  the  capital 
of  Israel.  Constant  hostilities  prevailed  between  the  rival  king- 
doms. Rehoboam  fortified  his  kingdom.  The  true  servants 
of  God  in  Israel  left  the  country,  because  of  the  growing  idolatry, 
and  went  to  Judah.  Rehoboam  and  his  subjects  now  fell  into 
idolatry  and  other  grievous  sins.  Jerusalem  surrendered  to 
Sliishak,  king  of  Egypt,  at  the  head  of  a great  army  of  Libyans, 
Nubians,  and  Ethiopians,  and  the  temple  and  Solomon’s  palace 
were  despoiled,  B.  C.  972. 

3.  Abijah,  Asa,  and  Kings  of  brief  Reign ; Ahab. — Death 
of  Rehoboam,  B.  C.  959,  succeeded  by  his  son  Abijah,  who  made 
a desperate  attempt  to  recover  the  ten  tribes,  and  defeated  the 
forces  of  Jeroboam  in  the  mountain  range  of  Ephraim  with  great 
loss.  Abijah  died  after  a reign  of  three  years;  succeeded  by 
his  son  Asa,  B.  C.  956.  Asa’s  reign  distinguished  by  the  removal 
of  idols  and  a general  religious  reform,  the  fortification  of 
frontier  towns,  the  defeat  of  Zerali  the  Ethiopian  at  the  head  of 
a great  army,  a solemn  covenant  with  God  to  put  to  death 
all  who  proved  unfaithful  to  him,  the  hostility  of  Baaslia,  king 
of  Israel,  and — the  one  great  sin  of  his  life — a league  with  Ben- 
had  ad,  king  of  Syria,  against  Baasha. 

Jeroboam’s  successor  was  his  son  Nadab,  a wicked  prince, 
who  was  killed  at  the  siege  of  Gibbethon  by  Baasha.  Baasha 
had  risen  from  the  ranks ; he  usurped  the  throne,  and  de- 
stroyed the  whole  family  of  Nadab. 

Baasha  died,  and  was  succeeded  (B.  C.  931)  by  his  son  Elah, 
who  was  barely  on  the  throne  before  being  assassinated  by 
Zimri,  one  of  his  captains.  Zimri's  brief  reign  of  seven  days 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


39 


was  terminated  by  Omri,  El  all’s  chief  captain  ; he  attacked  Zimri 
at  Tirzali.  Zimri  fired  his  palace  and  perished  in  the  flames. 
Omri  succeeded  him,  and  lived  the  former  part  of  his  reign  in 
Tirzah,  and  the  latter  part  in  Samaria,  a city  built  by  himself 
as  a capital  for  his  kingdom.  Ahab,  his  son,  succeeded  him. 
These  Israelitish  kings  were  all  gross  idolaters.  Allah's  wife 
was  the  cruel  and  wicked  Jezebel. 

4.  Jehoshaphat. — Asa,  after  along  reign,  succeeded  by  Jeliosh- 
aphat,  his  son.  Jehoshaphat  garrisoned  his  fenced  cities,  pulled 
down  the  heathen  altars  and  groves,  instructed  the  people  in 
the  law,  defeated  the  Philistines  and  Arabians,  who  became 
tributary  to  him ; united  with  Ahab  in  an  unsuccessful  war 
against  the  Syrians,  and  combined  with  Joram  and  the  king 
of  Edom  in  a victorious  war  against  the  Moabites. 

5.  The  Prophet  Elijah— During  Ahab’s  reign  a great 
famine  occurred,  owing  to  a drought  which  lasted  three  years 
and  a half.  Elijah  foretold  to  Ahab  the  famine,  and  then  fled 
to  the  brook  Cheat h,  where  he  was  supported  some  time  by 
ravens.  He  then  went  to  Zarephatli,  where  he  lodged  with  a 
poor  widow,  and  miraculously  supplied  her  barrel  with  meal 
and  her  cruse  with  oil,  and  restored  her  child  to  life.  Great 
triumph  of  the  worship  of  Jehovah  on  Mount  Carmel,  in  a con- 
test between  Elijah  and  the  four  hundred  and  fifty  prophets  of 
Baal.  The  prophets  of  Baal  slain  by  the  people  at  the  command 
of  Elijah.  Abundant  rain  in  answer  to  Elijah’s  prayer.  The 
prophet  then  withdrew  to  Beersheba,  and  thence  to  Horeb,  and 
anointed  Elisha  his  successor  as  prophet. 

6.  War  with  the  Assyrians.  The  Prophet  Elisha.— 
Samaria  besieged  by  Benhadad,  king  of  Syria,  B.  C.  902. 
Ahab,  king  of  Israel,  successful  over  him.  Israel  again  invaded, 
but  the  Syrians  were  defeated  with  great  slaughter  at  Aphek. 
Ahab  and  Jehoshaphat  in  war  with  the  Syrians  six  years  later; 
Ahab  killed,  and  succeeded  by  his  son  Ahaziah,  who  died 
B.  C.  895.  Elijah  was  translated  to  heaven  in  a chariot  of  fire, 
and  Elisha  took  his  place  as  prophet.  Elisha  healed  an  im- 
pure spring  at  Jericho  by  casting  in  salt ; multiplied  the  widow’s 
oil ; restored  to  life  the  son  of  a wealthy  Shunammite  woman ; 
rendered  a pottage  of  poisonous  gourds  fit  for  food  by  pouring 
in  meal;  multiplied  twenty  barley  loaves  and  some  roasted 
corn  for  one  hundred  men ; caused  an  iron  ax  to  float  on  the 


40 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


water;  directed  Naaman,  the  leprous  captain  of  the  Syrian  army, 
to  bathe  seven  times  in  the  Jordan;  Naaman  healed  thereby. 

7.  Jehoram,  Ahaziah,  Athaliah,  Joash,  Monarchs  of 
Judah. — Jehoshaphat  was  succeeded  by  Jehoram,  Ins  wicked 
son,  who  began  his  reign  by  murdering  all  his  brethren.  His 
son,  Ahaziah,  was  also  a bad  monarch,  and  an  idolater.  He 
was  slain  by  the  Israelitish  usurper  Jehu,  and  succeeded  by 
Athaliah,  his  mother,  who  sought  to  destroy  all  the  seed  royal. 
Joash,  however,  Ahaziah’s  son,  was  preserved  by  the  family  of 
Jehoiada,  the  priest,  who  in  time  overcame  all  opposition,  and 
placed  the  young  prince  on  the  throne.  Joash  served  the  true 
God  during  the  life-time  of  this  good  priest,  but  afterward 
became  an  idolater.  Zecliariah,  the  prophet,  son  of  Jehoiada, 
was  stoned  to  death  for  proving  him. 

8.  Ahaziah,  Joram,  Jehu,  Jehoahaz,  Jehoash,  Kings  of 

Israel. — Ahaziah,  king  of  Israel,  was  succeeded  by  his  brother 
Joram,  who  was  dangerously  wounded  in  battle  against  Hazael, 
king  of  Syria.  Jehu  slew  Joram,  and  succeeded  him  as  king 
of  Israel.  Jehu  died  B.  C.  855 ; his  son  and  successor,  Jehoa- 
haz, was  wicked,  and  fell  under  the  power  of  Hazael,  who  com- 
pelled him  to  limit  his  army  to  fifty  horsemen,  ten  chariots,  and 
ten  thousand  infantry.  His  reign  inglorious ; followed  by 
Jehoash,  who,  with  his  people,  remained  in  idolatry.  Jehoash 
three  times  victorious  over  the  Syrians ; defeated  Amaziah, 
king  of  Judah,  in  battle;  dismantled  the  northern  wall  of 
Jerusalem,  and  carried  off  the  sacred  treasures.  Jehoash  suc- 
ceeded by  Jeroboam  II.  * 

9.  The  Prophet  Jonah. — Jonah  was  commissioned,  B.  C.  850, 
to  go  to  Nineveh,  the  capital  of  the  great  empire  of  Assyria, 
and  foreteli  its  destruction.  Shrinking  from  the  task,  he  took 
ship  for  Tarshish;  but  a great  storm  arising,  he  was  cast  over- 
board. A whale  swallowed  him,  and  after  three  days  cast  him 
up  on  dry  land.  Again  commanded  to  go  to  Nineveh,  he  no 
longer  refused,  and  declared  the  destruction  of  that  city  in  forty 
days.  The  people  sincerely  repenting,  the  city  was  spared  more 
than  another  century. 

10.  Amaziah,  TJzziah,  and  other  Kings.— Joash  slain  by  his 
servants ; succeeded  by  his  son  Amaziah,  a bad  man.  Amaziah 
slain,  B.  C.  808,  and  succeeded  by  his  son  Uzziah,  who  reigned 
fifty-two  years,  and  was  a wise,  good,  and  successful  king 


• Outline  of  Bible  History.  41 

Being  elevated  beyond  measure  by  his  successes,  he  one  day 
entered  the  Holy  Place  in  the  temple  to  offer  incense  on  the 
golden  altar,  and  was  stricken  with  leprosy.  Ilis  son  Jotham 
was  appointed  regent,  and  succeeded  him  on  the  throne.  Jero- 
boam II.,  of  Israel,  son  of  the  wicked  Jehoash,  reigned  forty-one 
years;  he  died  B.  C.  783,  after  which  there  was  an  interregnum 
of  eleven  years.  Zeehariah,  son  of  Jeroboam  II.,  became  king 
of  Israel;  he  reigned  six  months,  and  was  assassinated  by  Shal- 
lum,  who  reigned  but  one  month,  and  was  deposed  by  Menahem. 
Menahem  succeeded  by  his  son  Pekahiali,  who  was  slain  by 
Pekah.  Isaiah  began  to  prophesy.  Jotham,  king  of  Judah, 
succeeded  by  Ahaz,  the  most  wicked  of  all  the  kings  of  Judah. 
Judah  invaded  by  Pekah,  in  alliance  with  Rezin,  king  of 
Damascus,  B.  C.  742.  The  intended  alliance  of  Ahaz  with 
Assyria  denounced  by  Isaiah,  who  predicted  the  ruin  of  Damas- 
cus and  the  ten  tribes. 

11.  Captivity  of  the  Ten  Tribes. — Ahaz  defeated  by  Pekah ; 
one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  soldiers  slain,  and  two  hun- 
dred thousand  women  and  children  led  into  captivity.  Ahaz,  by 
giving  the  temple  treasures,  secured  the  aid  of  Tiglatli-pileser, 
king  of  Assyria,  who  now  slew  the  king  of  Syria,  took  possession 
of  his  dominions,  ravaged  the  east  Jordan  country,  and  carried 
into  captivity  Reuben,  Gad,  and  half  Manasseli.  Pekah,  king  of 
Israel,  succeeded  by  his  son  Hoshea.  Samaria  besieged  by  Shal- 
maneser, successor  of  Tiglath-pileser.  Sargon,  who  revolted 
against  Shalmaneser,  continued  the  siege,  and  Samaria  was 
captured,  B.  C.  721.  The  ten  tribes  were  carried  into  captivity, 
and  Israel  as  an  independent  monarchy  ceased  to  exist. 

KINGS  OF  JUDAH. 

B.  C.  721-587. 

12.  Hezekiah,  Manasseh,  Amon,  Josiah,  Jehoahaz.— Heze 
kiah  had  succeeded  Ahaz,  B.  C.  726.  He  was  a good  and 
just  king , put  away  the  idolatrous  objects  of  his  people ; per- 
suaded the  people  to  renew  their  vows  to  God.  Sennacherib, 
Saigon’s  successor,  invaded  the  country,  first,  B.  C.  713,  and 
again,  B.  C.  710.  The  second  time  his  Army  was  miraculously 
destroyed.  Hezekiah  was  dangerously  ill,  and  his  death  was 
predicted  by  Isaiah.  Hezekiah  prayed  for  the  prolongation  of 

3 


42  Outline  of  Bible  History.  • 

his  life,  and  fifteen  years  were  added  to  it.  Death  of  Hezekiah, 
B.  C.  697 ; succeeded  by  his  son  Manassek,  who  restored  idolatry. 
Jerusalem  invested  by  the  captains  of  Esarh addon ; Manasseh 
taken  captive  to  Babylon  and  thrown  into  prison.  He  was 
afterward  restored  to  his  throne,  and  was  thenceforth  a good 
ruler.  Manasseh  died  B.  C.  642,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Amon.  Amon  slain  by  his  servants,  and  his  son  Josiah,  who  was 
only  eight  years  old,  succeeded  him,  and  became  one  of  the 
purest  and  wisest  kings  of  Judah.  In  accordance  with  a proph- 
ecy uttered  before  King  Jeroboam  I.,  more  than  three  hundred 
years  previously,  Josiah  suppressed  idolatry,  renewed  the  cove- 
nant with  God,  and  celebrated  the  Passover  with  imposing 
grandeur.  He  was  defeated  and  slain  in  his  attempt  to  resist 
the  passage  of  Necho,  king  of  Egypt,  through  his  dominions 
on  the  way  to  obtain  possession  of  Charcliemisli,  which  com- 
manded the  passage  of  the  Euphrates.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  Jehoahaz;  the  latter  reigned  but  three  months,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Jehoiakim.  The  seventy  years’  Captivity 
predicted  by  Jeremiah. 

13.  Captures  of  Jerusalem. — Jerusalem  captured  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, B.  C.  606.  Jehoiakim  put  in  chains,  but  afterward 
restored  to  the  throne;  the  temple  rifled;  Daniel,  Hananiah, 
Mishael,  and  Azariah  (the  names  of  the  latter  three  changed  in 
Babylon  to  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego)  taken  to  Baby- 
lon. Jehoiakim  revolted  against  Nebuchadnezzar  ; died  a 
violent  death,  B.  C.  598 ; was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jelioiachin, 
or  Jeconiab,  who  reigned  but  three  months.  Jerusalem  again 
taken  by  Nebuchadnezzar;  he  made  Zedekiah,  the  youngest 
son  of  Josiah,  king  over  the  country.  Zedekiah  rebelled  against 
Nebuchadnezzar,  B.  C.  598,  and  the  latter  besieged  Jerusalem 
again.  Jeremiah  twice  imprisoned  in  Jerusalem  for  prophesy  * 
ing  the  fall  of  the  city. 

Capture  of  Jerusalem,  B.  C.  587.  Zedekiah  was  led  captive 
to  Babylon;  Jeremiah  liberated;  the  temple  burned;  the  city 
nearly  razed ; the  most  of  the  people  led  off  into  captivity 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


43 


CHAPTER  IX. 

FROM  THE  FINAL  CAPTURE  OF  JERUSALEM  BY  NEBUCHADNEZZAR 
TO  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  OLD  TESTAMENT  HISTORY. 

B.  C.  58T-397. 

1.  The  Jewish  Captives. — Gedaliah  made  governor  of  Jeru- 
salem, but  slain  by  Ishmael.  Nebuchadnezzar  having  com- 
manded all  his  subjects  to  fall  down  and  worship  the  golden 
image  he  had  set  up  in  the  plain  of  Dura,  three  Jewish  youths 
wTho  had  been  carried  captive  to  Babylon — Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abednego — refused,  and  were  cast  into  a fiery  furnace.  By 
divine  aid  they  escaped  unharmed.  Daniel,  a fellow  Jewish 
captive,  rose  to  a very  high  position  because  of  his  interpretation 
of  Nebuchadnezzar’s  dream,  and  became  the  means  of  the  promo- 
tion of  his  three  friends.  A second  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
was  interpreted  by  Daniel,  when  the  king’s  fall  and  insanity 
were  foretold.  Nebuchadnezzar,  after  a period  of  insanity,  re- 
stored to  reason  and  his  kingdom;  died  B.  C.  561,  and  suc- 
ceeded by  Evil-merodach,  who  released  Jehoiacliin,  the  last  of 
the  royal  line  of  Solomon  who  was  accorded  kingly  honors. 

2.  Destruction  of  Babylon.  Daniel. — Belshazzar,  king  of 
Babylon,  B.  C.  538,  made  a great  feast,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
revelries  mysterious  words  were  written  on  the  wall.  These  were 
interpreted  by  Daniel  as  predicting  the  fall  of  the  kingdom  and 
its  possession  by  the  Medes  and  Persians ; and  on  the  same  night 
the  city  was  captured  by  Cyrus  and  Belshazzar  slain. 

Cyrus  intrusted  the  city  to  a viceroy,  Darius  the  Mede,  whom  he  made  king-. 
Darius  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  Cyaxares,  the  uncle  of  Cyrus ; by  others  he 
is  thought  to  be  Astyages,  grandfather  of  Cyrus. 

Daniel  cast  into  a den  of  lions,  because  he  continued  to  pray 
to  God,  contrary  to  a decree  which  some  of  the  nobility,  Daniel’s 
enemies,  had  induced  Darius  the  king  to  pass.  Daniel  miracu- 
lously preserved,  but  his  enemies  and  their  families,  who  were 
afterward  cast  in,  were  devoured  by  the  lions. 

3.  The  Return  from  Captivity— A decree  was  now  issued 
(B.  C.  536)  by  Cyrus  for  the  return  of  the  Jews  to  their  county, 
the  restoration  of  the  sacred  vessels,  and  the  rebuilding  of  the 


44  Outline  of  Bible  History. 

temple.  The  captivity  had  lasted  seventy  years.  Few,  com- 
paratively, availed  themselves  of  the  permission  to  return. 
Zerubbabel,  grandson  of  Jelioiachin,  led  back  to  Jerusalem 
forty-two  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty  Jews,  attended  by 
seven  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  servants. 

4.  Opposition  of  the  Samaritans.  Decree  of  Ahasuerus.—- 
In  the  second  year  after  the  return,  the  foundations  of  the  new 
temple  were  laid ; an  altar,  however,  had  been  set  up  in  the  first 
year.  The  Samaritans,  being  refused  to  share  in  the  erection 
of  the  new  temple,  retarded  its  erection.  It  was  continued  and 
completed  in  harmony  with  a decree  of  Darius,  the  Persian 
king ; dedicated  B.  C.  515.  The  Jews  had  peace  during  the  rest 
of  the  reign  of  Darius ; but  Ahasuerus,  the  Xerxes  of  profane  his- 
tory, issued,  at  the  instance  of  Haman,  a decree  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  all  the  Jewish  exiles  throughout  the  Persian  dominions. 
Haman  fell  a victim  to  his  own  plot,  being  hung  on  the  gallows 
he  had  prepared  for  Mordecai,  the  guardian  of  Esther,  the  Jewish 
maiden  whom  Ahasuerus  had  married  in  place  of  the  divorced 
queen,  Yashti. 

5.  Another  Return.  Ezra. — In  the  sixth  year  of  the  reign 
of  Alexander  Longimanus,  B.  C.  458,  a new  band  of  exiles  set 
out  for  Jerusalem  under  Ezra,  who,  on  arriving  at  Jerusalem, 
induced  the  people  to  put  away  the  strange  wives  they  had 
taken.  In  B.  C.  444  Nehemiali  was  commissioned  to  rebuild 
the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  and  in  fifty-twTo  days  the  city  was 
inclosed  with  new  walls  and  the  ancient  towers.  The  law  was 
read  by  Ezra,  and  the  city  dedicated.  Ezra,  after  effecting 
various  important  reforms,  returned  to  Persia,  B.  C.  482,  but 
went  back  to  Jerusalem  after  an  absence  of  about  nine  years, 
and  reformed  the  old  abuses  which  had  taken  fresh  root  during 
his  absence. 

6.  The  Prophets. — There  were  sixteen  prophets,  whose  writ- 
ings are  preserved  in  the  Canon.  They  were  distinguished  by 
important  characteristics,  and  were  a great  power  in  their  several 
periods  of  time.  They  were  the  national  poets  of  the  chosen  peo- 
ple, the  annalists  and  historians  of  their  country,  the  out-spoken 
patriots,  the  reformers  of  morals  and  pure  religion,  the  preachers 
of  righteousness  and  exponents  of  the  law,  and,  most  of  all,  the 
revealers  of  God’s  grand  design  of  effecting  our  redemption 
through  Jesus  Christ.  The  sixteen  prophets  may  be  divided 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


45 


into  four  groups : — Prophets  of  the  Northern  Kingdom : Hosea, 
Amos,  Jonah  : — Prophets  of  the  Southern  Kingdom : Joel,  Isaiah, 
Jeremiah,  Obadiah,  Micah,  Nahum,  Habakkuk,  Zephaniah. 
Prophets  of  the  Captivity : Ezekiel  and  Daniel.  Prophets  of  the 
Return : Haggai,  Zechariah,  Malachi.  The  four  major  prophets 
were,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and  Daniel;  the  twelve  minor 
prophets:  Hosea,  Joel,  Amos,  Obadiah,  Jonah,  Micah,  Nahum, 
Habakkuk,  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zechariah,  Malachi. 

7.  The  Prophets  in  their  supposed  Chronological  Order. 

Whole  Period  covered  by  the  Prophecies. 


Prophets. 

B.  C. 

Kings  of  Judah. 

Kings  of  Israel. 

1. 

Jonah. 

840-784 

Joash,  Jero- 
boam II. 

2. 

Joel. 

810-795 

Uzziah. 

Jeroboam  II. 

3. 

Amos. 

810-785 

Uzziah. 

4. 

Hosea. 

800-725 

Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz. 

Jeroboam  II., 
Hoshea. 

5. 

Isaiah. 

765-698 

Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz,  Heze- 
kiah,  perhaps  Manasseh. 

6. 

Micah. 

758-699 

Jotham,  Ahaz,  Hezekiah. 

Pekah,  Hoshea. 

7. 

Nahum. 

720-698 

Probably  toward  close  of 
Hezekiah’ s reign. 

8.  Zephaniah. 

640-609 

Josiah. 

9. 

Jeremiah. 

628-585 

Josiah — the  Captivity. 

10. 

Habakkuk. 

612-598 

Probably  in  the  reigns  of 
Jehoahaz  or  Jehoiakim. 

11. 

Daniel. 

606-534 

During  the  whole  Captivity. 

12. 

Ezekiel. 

595-574 

Zedekiah — Captivity. 

13. 

Obadiah. 

588-583 

'Between  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar and  the  conquest 
of  Edom. 

14. 

Haggab 

Zechariah. 

520-518 

After  the  Return. 

15. 

520-510 

u u 

16. 

Malachi. 

420-397 

a a 

CHAPTER  X. 

interval  between  the  close  of  the  old  testament 

HISTORY  AND  THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  NEW. 

B.  C.  397-6. 

1.  Division  of  the  Time.— The  interval  between  the  close  of 
the  Old  Testament  history  and  the  beginning  of  the  New,  the 
\atter  being  a little  overlapped,  falls  into  four  periods:  Con- 


46 


Outline  of  Bible  History 


tinuance  of  the  Persian  dominion  until  B.  C.  831 ; Greek  Em- 
pire in  Asia,  B.  C.  331-167 ; Independence  of  Judea  under  the 
Asmonean  princes,  B.  C.  167-63;  Rule  of  the  Herodian  House 
from  B,  C.  40  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  A.  H.  70.  The 
relations  of.  Judea  to  Rome  are  embraced  in  the  last  two  periods. 

There  is  a tradition  that  Alexander  the  Great,  after  destroying 
Tyre,  visited  Jerusalem  peaceably,  B.  C.  332.  Ptolemy  Soter, 
(son  of  Lagus,)  of  Egypt,  besieged  and  took  Jerusalem,  and, 
according  to  Aristeas.  carried  off  one  hundred  thousand  Jewish 
and  Samaritan  captives  to  Alexandria. 

2.  War  between  Syria  and  Egypt. — Ptolemy  IV.  Philop 
ator,  became  king  of  Egypt,  B.  C.  222,  and  Antiochus  III., 
the  Great,  king  of  Syria,  made  war  on  him  for  the  possession 
of  the  provinces  of  Phoenicia,  Coele- Syria,  and  Palestine,  but 
was  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Raphia,  near  Gaza,  B.  C.  217. 
Emboldened  by  his  victory,  Ptolemy  went  to  Jerusalem,  and, 
not  content  with  simply  offering  sacrifices,  he  entered  the  Holy 
of  Holies,  but  was  driven  out,  it  is  said,  by  a supernatural 
terror.  He  gave  vent  to  his  resentment  by  a persecution  of 
the  Jews  at  Alexandria,  the  consequence  of  which  was  the 
alienation  of  the  Jews  of  both  Palestine  and  Egypt. 

3.  Revolt  of  Judea  and  Persecution  of  the  Jews. — Antio- 
chus IY.  Epiphanes,  wrho  reigned  in  Syria  B.  C.  175-164, 
(called  Epimanes , madman ,)  conducted  four  successful  cam- 
paigns against  Egypt.  Once,  when  in  Egypt,  the  report  reached 
him  that  Judea  had  revolted,  and  he  hastened  up  to  Jerusalem 
in  great  rage  and  slew  forty  thousand  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
sold  an  equal  number  into  slavery.  He  profaned  the  sanctities 
of  the  temple,  and  carried  off  eighteen  hundred  talents’  worth 
of  sacred  vessels  and  other  treasures.  Two  years  later,  B.  C.  167, 
he  began  one  of  the  most  cruel  persecutions  of  the  Jews  recorded 
in  the  history  of  any  people. 

4.  Rise  of  the  Maccabeans. — Mattathias,  an  aged  Jewish 
priest,  set*  Antiochus  at  defiance,  and  headed  a revolt  against 
the  Syrian  domination  and  the  heathen  worship,  long  before 
introduced  into  Palestine.  Mattathias  died  in  the  midst  of  his 
expedition,  B.  C.  166,  and  was  succeeded  as  military  leader  by 
his  third  son,  Judas,  surnamed  Maccabeus,  (the  Hammerer ,) 
with  Simon  Thassi,  his  second  son,  as  counselor  to  his  brother. 
Judas  aimed  not  only  at  political  independence,  but  perfect 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


47 


religious  freedom.  After  great  successes  over  the  Syrians  he 
gained  possession  of  Jerusalem,  restored  the  temple,  and  in- 
stituted the  Feast  of  Dedication,  B.  C.  166. 

5.  Career  of  Judas  Maccabeus.— An tiochus  died  in  a rav- 
ing frenzy  when  he  heard  of  the  successful  revolt  of  the  Jews. 

Judas  Maccabeus  defeated  the  surrounding  nations,  who  had 
confederated  for  his  destruction,  carried  on  a border  war,  and 
unsuccessfully  attempted  to  reduce  Acra.  Judea  invaded  by 
Lysias  and  Antiochus  Eupator.  Peace  between  Judas  and 
Syria.  Judas  appointed  governor  of  Judea,  under  the  king 
of  Syria.  Demetrius  Soter,  successor  of  Antiochus  Eupator, 
sent  an  army  against  Judea;  Judas  formed  an  alliance  with 
Rome;  slain  in  battle,  B.  C.  161.  Jonathan,  brother  of  Judas, 
chosen  his  successor. 

6.  Simon,  John  Hyrcanus,  Aristobulus,  Alexander  Jan- 
nseus. — Jonathan  murdered  at  Bascama,  B.  C.  161.  The  high 
priesthood  and  civil  government  settled  on  Simon,  his  brother, 
and  his  heirs.  Simon  completed  the  fortifications  of  Jerusalem, 
reduced  Acra,  and  was  recognized  at  Rome  as  High  Priest  and 
Prince  of  Judea. 

Simon  murdered,  B.  C.  135,  and  succeeded  by  his  son,  John 
Hyrcanus.  Aristobulus  I.  succeeded  Hyrcanus,  and  by  cruelties 
to  his  family  obtained  sole  control  and  assumed  to  be  king, 
the  first  claim  of  the  kind  since  the  Captivity. 

Alexander  Jannaeus,  the  eldest  of  the  three  brothers  of  Aris- 
tobulus, became  his  successor.  He  had  petty  wars  with  the 
neighboring  nations,  and,  after  a great  reverse,  achieved  an 
important  success,  and  died  while  besieging  Ragaba,  east  of 
the  Jordan.  Succeeded  by  his  wife  Alexandra,  who  made  her 
son  Hyrcanus  high  priest. 

Alexandra  died  B.  C.  70,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  throne  by 
Hyrcanus  II.  He  reigned  but  three  months,  when  he  was 
dethroned  by  his  brother  Aristobulus  II. 

7.  Reduction  of  Syria  to  a Roman  Province— Roman  in- 
terference; Pompey  arbitrated  between  Hyrcanus  II.  and  Arie 
tobulus;  captured  Jerusalem,  and  restored  Hyrcanus  II.  to  tho- 
Jewish  throne.  The  restoration  purely  nominal ; Syria  reduced 
by  Pompey  to  a mere  Roman  province.  The  government 
changed  by  Gabinius  to  an  aristocracy.  The  temple  plundered 
by  Crassus.  Jerusalem  taken  by  Pompey,  and  Judea  made 


48  Outline  of  Bible  History. 

tributary  to  Rome.  Antipater  appointed  Procurator  of  Judea  by 
Julius  Caesar.  Antipater’s  son  Herod  made  governor  of  Galilee, 
and  Phasael,  Herod’s  elder  brother,  governor  of  Jerusalem. 

Antipater  poisoned  by  Malichus.  The  Parthians,  under  their 
king's  son,  Pacorus,  captured  Jerusalem,  and  made  Antigonus 
king.  Herod  escaped  to  Rome,  B.  C.  40,  and  obtained  the 
kingdom  of  Judea  from  the  Triumvirate.  Antigonus  executed 
at  Antioch  ; thus  terminating  the  Maccabean  dynasty.  Jerusa- 
lem taken  by  Herod  the  Great,  B.  C.  37.  He  began  to  rebuild 
and  enlarge  the  temple,  B.  C.  17. 

8.  The  Apocryphal  Books,  fourteen  in  number : 1 Esdras, 
or  Ezra;  2 Esdras;  Tobit;  Judith;  Rest  of  the  Chapters  of  the 
Book  of  Esther;  Wisdom  of  Solomon;  Ecclesiasticus,  or  Wis- 
dom of  Jesus  the  Son  of  Siracli ; Book  of  Baruch ; Song  of 
the  Three  Holy  Children;  History  of  Susanna;  Bel  and  the 
Dragon ; Prayer  of  Manasseh,  king  of  Judah ; 1 Maccabees ; 
2 Maccabees. 

9.  Jewish  Sects. — 1.  The  Pharisees  originated  about  B.  C.  135, 
and  were  so  called  from  the  Hebrew  word  pharash,  to  separate. 
They  held  that  Moses  received  on  Mount  Sinai  an  oral  law — 
intended  to  complete  and  explain  the  written  law — which  was 
transmitted  by  him  to  posterity.  They  ascribed  all  things  to  fate 
or  providence ; yet  not  so  fully  as  to  take  away  free-will  from 
man,  for  fate  does  not  co-operate  in  every  action.  They  also 
believed  in  the  existence  of  spirits  and  angels,  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  and  that  God  stood  engaged  to  bless  the  Jews,  to 
make  them  all  partakers  of  the  Messiah’s  terrestrial  kingdom, 
to  justify  them,  and  make  them  eternally  happy.  2.  The  Saddu- 
cees  appear  first  in  history  about  B,  C.  250.  They  denied  the 
oral  law  of  the  Pharisees,  and  held  that  the  written  law  alone 
was  of  value  ; they  also  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and 
the  existence  of  saints  and  angels.  According  to  some  early 
Christian  writers,  they  rejected  all  the  sacred  Scriptures  except 
the  Pentateuch.  3.  The  Essenes  originated  about  B.  C.  110, 
and  represented  a tendency  rather  than  an  organization.  They 
were  absolute  predestinarians ; observed  the  seventh  day  with 
peculiar  strictness ; reverenced  the  Scriptures  highly,  but  ex- 
pounded them  allegorically ; sent  gifts  to  the  temple,  but 
offered  no  sacrifices ; abstained  from  wine ; held  celibacy  in 
high  esteem,  and  led  an  austere  and  retired  life, 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FROM  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  PERIOD  TO 
THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST. 

B.  C.  6-A.  D.  30. 

[The  Christian  era  begins,  in  reality,  four  years  too  late,  but  was  erroneously  so 
established  in  the  Sixth  Century.  The  birth  of  Christ  took  place,  not  A.  D.  1,  but 
B.  C.  4.] 

1.  Birth  of  John  the  Baptist  and  Jesus.— Annunciation  to 
Zacharias,  by  the  angel  Gabriel,  of  the  birth  of  John  the  Bap- 
tist. Sixth  months  later  £he  same  angel  foretold  to  the  Virgin 
Mary  at  Nazareth  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ.  Birth  of  John 
the  Baptist ; circumcision  eight  days  thereafter.  Universal 
peace  in  the  Roman  Empire.  Joseph  and  Mary  set  out  for  Beth- 
lehem, the  home  of  their  forefathers,  to  be  taxed  according  to 
law.  Birth  of  . esus  at  Bethlehem.  A company  of  shepherds, 
while  watching  their  flocks  by  night,  were  astonished  by  the 
appearance  of  a multitude  of  angels,  one  of  whom  announced 
the  nativity  of  the  Saviour.  Directed  by  the  angels,  the  shep- 
herds proceeded  to  Bethlehem,  and  worshiped  their  Lord. 
He  was  circumcised  on  the  eighth  day,  and  on  the  fortieth  was 
presented  in  the  temple.  The  aged  Simeon  and  the  prophetess 
Anna  prophesied  concerning  Christ.  Wise  men  from  the  East 
having  been  guided  by  a star  to  Jerusalem,  and  afterward 
to  Bethlehem,  to  worship  Jesus,  the  jealousy  of  Herod  was 
aroused  for  his  dynasty,  and  he  ordered  all  the  male  children 
in  Bethlehem  two  years  old  and  under  to  be  slain.  But 
Joseph,  who  was  divinely  warned  of  the  danger  in  a dream, 
took  Jesus  and  Mary,  and  fled  to  Egypt,  and  remained  there 
until  the  death  of  Herod,  B.  C.  3,  when  he  returned  to  Pales- 
tine and  dwelt  at  Nazareth. 

Jesus,  arriving  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  went  with  his  par- 
ents to  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  Passover,  A.  D.  8.  He  aston- 
ished the  doctors  in  the  temple  by  his  wisdom. 


50 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


2.  Ministry  of  John  the  Baptist.  First  Year  of  Christ 

Ministry.  A.  D.  27.— (1.)  Beginning  of  John  the  Baptist' 
public  ministry  and  baptizing,  A.  D.  26.  Multitudes  were  at- 
tracted to  him ; he  preached  repentance  and  the  nearness  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Jesus  was  baptized  by  John  ; he  was 
afterward  tempted  by  the  devil  in  the  wilderness,  where  he 
remained  forty  days  without  food.  Andrew,  his  brother  Simon 
Peter,  John,  Philip,  and  Nathanael  acknowledged  him,  and 
became  his  disciples. 

(1.)  First  miracle  (changing  of  water  into  wine)  performed  by 
Jesus  at  Cana  in  Galilee,  at  a marriage-feast.  Accompanied 
by  his  mother,  brethren,  and  five  disciples,  he  went  to  Caper- 
naum, on  the  shore  of  the  Sea  of  Tiberias. 

(2.)  Celebration  of  the  First  Passover  of  his  public  ministry 
at  Jerusalem.  Indignant  at  the  sacrilege  done  to  the  temple, 
Jesus  cast  out  the  money-changers  and  dove-sellers  from  the 
sacred  precincts.  He  performed  many  miraculous  cures,  and 
multitudes  were  attracted  to  his  ministry.  His  interview  with 
Nicodemus. 

(3.)  Departure  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples  to  the  north-eastern 
parts  of  Judea,  fl is  disciples  baptized  many  people.  John 
the  Baptist  announced  the  speedy  close  of  his  own  career,  and 
the  rise  and  power  of  Christ’s.  Imprisonment  of  John  the 
Baptist,  probably  in  the  castle  of  Machserus,  on  the  western 
shore  of  the  Dead  Sea. 

(4.)  Jesus  departed  for  Galilee ; conversation  with  the  Samar- 
itan woman  at  Jacob’s  well.  While  at  Cana  he  healed  a noble- 
man’s son,  who  was  lying  sick  at  Capernaum;  the  father  and 
the  family  believed  on  Christ.  After  a brief  stay  in  Galilee, 
Christ  went  to  Jerusalem  to  celebrate  the  Feast  of  Purim. 
He  healed  the  paralytic  at  the  Pool  of  Bethesda. 

(5.)  The  hostility  to  him  in  Judea  increasing,  Jesus  withdrew 
to  Galilee  again,  and  took  up  his  residence  there,  and  taught  in 
the  synagogues.  His  first  appearance  as  priest  in  Nazareth ; 
anger  of  the  people,  who  attempted  to  kill  him  by  casting 
him  down  a high  hill.  Departure  from  Nazareth  and  resi- 
dence in  Capernaum.  Formal  commencement  of  his  public 
ministry. 

(6.)  Final  call  of  Peter,  Andrew,  James,  and  John ; healing 
of  the  demoniac ; of  Peter’s  mother-in-law  ; other  miracles  the 


'/ERF. 'LL  & PEwOZTK  LtTHF'O $ V ZOlDST.N.  /. 


Outline  of  Bible  History.  5S 

same  evening.  Departure  for  Capernaum  the  following  morn 
ing;  the  first  Galilean  circuit. 

A.  D.  28. — A leper  healed  in  Galilee;  return  of  Christ  to 
Capernaum  ; healing  of  a paralytic  in  presence  of  the  Pharisees 
and  doctors;  call  of  Matthew;  various  miracles.  End  of  first 
year  of  Christ’s  ministry. 

3.  Second  Year  of  our  Lord’s  Ministry.  A.  D.  28.— 
(1.)  Departure  of  Jesus  for  Jerusalem  to  his  Second  Passover. 
Healing  of  the  cripple  at  Bethesda  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and 
defense  of  his  act  against  the  censure  of  the  Jews.  First  great 
discourse,  a vindication  of  his  divine  authority. 

(2.)  Formal  choice  of  the  twelve  apostles : Simon,  Andrew, 
James  the  son  of  Zebedee,  John,  Philip,  Bartholomew,  Matthew, 
Thomas,  James  the  son  of  Alpheus,  Judas  surnamed  Thaddeus, 
Simon  Zelotes,  Judas  Iscariot.  Delivery  of  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  Return  of  Jesus  to  Capernaum.  Healing  of  the  cen- 
turion’s servant,  and  raising  of  the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nain. 

(3.)  John  the  Baptist  sent  a message  of  inquiry  to  Jesus; 
Jesus  replied,  and  testified  finally  to  John.  The  cities  around 
the  Sea  of  Galilee  upbraided  for  their  unbelief.  A sinful 
woman  anointed  his  feet  while  he  was  eating  in  a Pharisee’s 
house;  her  sins  forgiven. 

(4.)  Second  journey  of  Jesus  through  Galilee,  and  return  to 
Capernaum.  His  cure  of  a deaf  and  dumb  demoniac  aroused 
the  anger  of  the  Pharisees,  who  declared  that  Christ  derived 
his  authority  from  Beelzebub.  He  delivered  parables  to  the 
multitude:  the  sower;  the  wheat  and  tares;  the  seed  growing 
secretly ; the  grain  of  mustard-seed ; the  leaven ; the  hid  treas- 
ure; merchant  and  pearl;  the  draw-net.  He  calmed  the  great 
tempest  on  the  Sea  of  Galilee ; healed  the  Gadarene  demoniac. 

(5.)  Return  of  Jesus  to  Capernaum;  healed  the  woman  with 
sm  issue  of  blood;  restored  the  daughter  of  Jairus;  restored 
the  blind  man  to  sight;  cured  a dumb  demoniac.  Visited 
Nazareth,  and  was  again  rejected.  Third  circuit  through 
Galilee. 

(6.)  A.D.  29.  The  apostles  sent /orth.  Herod  (the  Tetrarch) 
beheaded  John  the  Baptist  through  the  plan  of  Herodias;  but 
when  he  heard  of  the  fame  of  Jesus,  he  believed  John  had  risen 
from  the  dead.  Consternation  among  the  Jews  because  of  the 
death  of  John  the  Baptist;  Herod’s  conscience  troubled  him. 


54 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


(?.)  Miracle  of  feeding  five  thousand  with  five  loaves  and  two 
fishes ; its  effect  upon  the  Galileans  was  to  lead  tl.em  to  wish 
to  make  Jesus  king.  Jesus  walked  upon  the  water;  saved 
Peter  from  sinking.  Many  followers  deserted  Jesus ; watched 
by  emissaries  from  Jerusalem.  End  of  the  second  year  of  the 
ministry  of  Jesus. 

4.  Last  Year  of  Christ’s  Ministry.  A.  D.  29. — (1.)  With- 
drawal from  Capernaum,  and  departure  for  Phoenicia  and 
Decapolis.  Healing  of  the  Syro-Phoenician  woman ; of  the 
deaf  and  dumb;  four  thousand  people  miraculously  fed  with 
seven  loaves  and  a few  small  fishes.  Healing  of  a blind  man 
at  Bethsaida.  Departure  for  Cesarea  Philippi ; Jesus  foretell- 
ing his  death  and  resurrection. 

(2.)  The  Transfiguration  of  Jesus,  (most  likely  on  Mount  Her- 
mon) ; he  was  accompanied  by  Peter,  Janies,  and  John.  A deaf 
and  dumb  spirit  cast  out ; Jesus  prophesied  a second  time  of 
his  death  and  resurrection.  At  Capernaum  lie  paid  the  tribute 
money  of  half  a shekel  by  performing  a miracle  ; taught  his  dis- 
ciples various  duties  bearing  on  their  future  mission;  parable 
of  the  unmerciful  servant.  Departure  of  Jesus  by  way  of  Gal- 
ilee for  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles.  Hostility 
of  the  Sanhedrin.  The  adulteress  released ; the  man  born 
blind  restored  to  sight ; Jesus  announced  himself  as  the  Good 
Shepherd  ; attended  the  Feast  of  Dedication.  Attempt  of  the 
Jews  to  stone  him,  and  his  tour  in  Peraea,  where  many  believed 
on  him. 

(3.)  Be  turn  of  Jesus  to  Bethany,  and  Baising  of  Lazarus. 
A.  D.  30. — Besolution  of  the  Sanhedrin  to  put  Jesus  to  death, 
and  his  withdrawal  to  Ephraim.  Last  circuit  in  Galilee.  The 
seventy  sent  forth  to  teach  and  heal.  Their  return,  and  an- 
nouncement of  success.  Journey  of  Jesus  toward  Jesusalem; 
heaied  a man  with  the  dropsy ; parables  of  the  lost  sheep,  lost 
piece  of  silver,  prodigal  son,  unjust  steward,  rich  man  and 
Lazarus.  On  his  journey  through  Samaria  and  Galilee  he 
healed  ten  lepers  ; departure  from  Galilee  for  Persea  ; the  mul- 
titude taught,  and  the  sick  pealed ; parables  of  the  unfortunate 
widow,  the  Pharisee  and  Publican,  and  the  laborers  in  the 
vineyard. 

Jesus  predicted  a third  time  his  death  and  resurrection 
Blind  Bartimeus  healed  at  Jericho. 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


55 


5.  Passion  of  our  Lord. — Monday,  April  1.  [Lewin,  author 
of  Fasti  Sacri , makes  the  date  March  29.]  Christ’s  triumph- 
al entry  into  Jerusalem;  the  people  strewed  garments  and 
branches  in  the  way.  Jesus  wept  oyer  the  city  ; he  healed  the 
blind  and  the  lame  in  the  temple ; returned  to  Bethany.  Tues- 
day, April  2.  The  barren  fig  tree  cursed;  the  temple  cleansed; 
return  of  Jesus  to  Bethany.  Wednesday,  April  3.  Return  to 
Jerusalem ; parables  of  the  two  sons,  the  wicked  husbandmen, 
and  the  marriage  feast.  Denunciation  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees;  destruction  ot  Jerusalem  predicted;  final  judgment 
described.  Treason  of  Judas  Iscariot.  Thursday,  April  4.  Peter 
and  James  sent  to  prepare  the  Passover.  Washing  the  disci 
pies’  feet.  The  Lord’s  Supper  instituted.  Departure  about 
midnight  for  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Intercessory  prayer.  Fri- 
day, April  5.  The  agony  and  bloody  sweat  of  Jesus  in  the 
Garden  of  G-ethsemane.  Betrayal  of  Judas;  arrest  of  Jesus; 
denial  of  Peter;  condemnation  of  Jesus  by  the  Sanhedrin; 
arraignment  before  Herod;  delivered  over  by  Pilate  to  be 
scourged  and  crucified. 

6.  The  Crucifixion. — The  place,  Golgotha  or  Calvary; 
Simon,  the  Cyrenian,  bearing  the  cross.  The  two  thieves. 
Jesus  crowned  with  thorns.  Railings  by  the  people.  His 
thirst.  Darkness  prevailed.  His  death.  Rending  of  the  vail 
of  the  temple,  and  the  rising  of  the  dead.  The  centurion’s 
testimony  to  Christ  as  Son  of  God.  The  body  taken  from  the 
cross.  Burial  by  Joseph  of  Arimathea  and  Nicodemus. 

7.  The  Resurrection. — Saturday,  April  6.  The  watch  and 
seal  set  upon  the  sepulcher.  Sunday,  April  7.  Easter  Day. 
The  resurrection  of  Christ.  Visit  of  the  women  to  the  tomb 
to  anoint  the  body  of  Jesus.  They  found  the  stone  rolled  away. 
Vision  of  an  angel  by  the  women. 

8.  The  Ascension.— The  appearances  of  Jesus,  first  to  the 
women,  and  last  to  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem ; final  com 
mission  of  the  eleven  apostles.  The  ascension  from  Mount 
Olivet  on  the  side  near  Bethany,  the  fortieth  day  after  the 
resurrection,  that  is,  on  Thursday,  May  16,  A.  D.  30. 


56 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


CHAPTER  n. 

FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  APOS- 
TOLICAL PERIOD. 

A.  D.  30-101. 

1.  Pentecost— Stephen.  Matthias  chosen  to  fill  the  apostle- 
ship  in  place  of  Judas  Iscariot.  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost.  Preaching  of  Peter;  three  thousand 
converted.  Healing  of  the  lame  man  at  the  temple  by  Peter 
and  John.  Community  of  goods ; sin  and  judgment  of  Ana- 
nias and  Sapphira  ; imprisonment  and  deliverance  of  the  apos- 
tles. Appointment  of  seven  deacons.  Stephen’s  defense ; his 
martyrdom,  and  Saul’s  share  in  it. 

General  persecution  ; dispersion  of  the  disciples  from  Jerusa- 
lem. Philip’s  preaching  and  miracles  at  Samaria.  Conversion 
of  Simon  Magus.  Conversion  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  and 
baptism  by  Philip. 

2.  Conversion  of  Saul.  A.  D.  37. — Conversion  of  Saul  on  his 
way  to  Damascus  to  persecute  the  Christians  there.  Baptism 
by  Ananias,  and  withdrawal  to  Arabia.  His  return,  and  preach- 
ing in  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews.  Cessation  of  the  persecution. 
Paul  at  Jerusalem ; the  Jews  sought  to  kill  him,  and  he  retired 
to  Tarsus.  Peter  cured  iEneas  of  palsy  at  Lydda,  and  at  Joppa 
raised  Dorcas  to  life.  Conversion  of  Cornelius,  the  first  Gentile 
convert.  Barnabas  took  Paul  from  Tarsus  to  Antioch  in  Syria. 
Famine  ; death  of  Herod  Agrippa  I.  Barnabas  and  Paul  went 
to  Jerusalem  with  alms  ; their  return  to  Antioch,  accompanied 
by  John  Mark.  Barnabas  and  Paul  consecrated  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  be  apostles  to  the  Gentiles. 

3.  Paul’s  First  Missionary  Journey.  A.  D.  44. — Paul,  ac- 
companied by  Barnabas  and  John  Mark,  sailed  from  Seleucia 
to  Cyprus.  Tour  of  the  island,  and  conversion  of  the  pro-con- 
sul, Sergius  Paulus.  Journey  to  Perga,  in  Pamphylia ; to  An- 
tioch, in  Pisidia ; to  Iconium,  Lystra,  and  Derbe.  Return  to 
Lystra,  Iconium,  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  Perga,  Attalia,  and  An 
tioch  in  Syria.  Dissension  at  Antioch  concerning  the  circum- 
cision of  Gentile  converts.  The  assembly  at  Jerusalem;  the 
decision  that  Gentile  converts  should  not  be  circumcised. 


— 


x . A,  i:aeorAm/trA<x-ofGr^f&br-tiffo-J&<xrJ&ff&tyaxifort-dLDcaMifiixn/vi-tft€tZerks  Orriot ar1thc.I)istr'la> Cbujrt  sfffic.  'ihdzeoL  skates  ror 


s tr  r 


Smidu  v SchoolTOnian 


Pi  nils  tour  witj/  Bamctbcts  4 ft*  SOTjXIVL  . . _ 
» « » -Silas  Acts  X.V,  _Xv lit— , 

» third  miss? tour  -Arts  1VIH11.V . 


NELSON  <&  PHILLIPS  805  BROADWAY  NEW  YORK 

KSMiUSH  MIXES 


I _ Direction  of' Trawl  iruUcctted  by  anon- hco  ds 
I Modem  names  thus . (.Matte 


L OTcgittxde 


Outline  of  I3ible  Histoi 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


61 


4.  Paul’s  Second  Missionary  Journey.  A.  D.  48.— Paul, 
accompanied  by  Silas,  went  through  Syria  and  Cilicia.  Jour- 
ney through  Phrygia  and  Galatia.  P^ul  directed  by  a vision 
at  Troas  to  go  over  into  Macedonia.  Accompanied  by  Luke, 
he  went  to  Philippi.  Conversion  of  Lydia.  Paul  and  Silas  im- 
prisoned, but  miraculously  delivered.  Journey  through  Am- 
phipolis  and  Apollonia  to  Thessah  nica ; thence  to  Berea. 
Departure  for  Athens;  discourse  on  Murs’  Hill ; went  to  Corinth, 
where  he  was  joined  by  Silas  and  Timothy  ; remained  eighteen 
months  in  Corinth.  He  sailed  from  Cenchrea  to  Ephesus,  and 
thence  went  to  Jerusalem  by  way  of  Cesarea.  He  returned 
to  Antioch. 

5.  Paul’s  Third  Missionary  Journey.  A.  D.  52. — He 

visited  the  Churches  in  Galatia  and  Phrygia.  Preaching  of 
Apollos  in  Ephesus.  Paul  went  to  Ephesus,  and  preached  and 
wrought  miracles  there  for  three  months ; departed  from  Eph- 
esus, and  journeyed  through  Macedonia ; labored  in  Macedo- 
nia and  Illyricum ; departed  from  Phillippi,  and  met  his  com- 
panions at  Troas.  He  then  went  by  way  of  Assos,  Mitylene, 
Chios,  Samos,  Trogyllium,  to  Miletus;  and  by  way  of  Coos, 
Rhodes,  Patara,  Cyprus,  Tyre,  Ptolemais,  and  Cesarea,  to 
Jerusalem. 

6.  Arrest  of  Paul ; Journey  to  Rome ; Shipwreck. — Plot 

against  Paul’s  life  in  Jerusalem;  was  sent  to  Cesarea.  His  de- 
fense before  Felix,  and  two  years’  imprisonment  in  Cesarea. 
Felix  superseded  by  Festus.  Festus  determined  to  try  Paul  at 
Cesarea,  but  Paul  appealed  to  Cesar.  Paul  started  for  Rome  in 
the  custody  of  Julius,  a centurion.  At  Myra  he  was  transferred 
to  a ship  of  Alexandria,  and  was  wrecked  at  the  island  of 
Malta.  He  remained  three  months  at  Malta,  and  again  set 
sail  for  Rome.  Landed  at  Puteoli  and  proceeded  by  land 
through  Appii  Forum  and  The  Three  Taverns  to  Rome.  Paul 
remained  two  years  in  Rome.  A.  D.  59-61. 

7.  Paul’s  Eurther  Travels.— After  his  liberation  occurred 
his  traditional  journey  to  Spain.  Paul  visited  Crete,  Mace- 
donia, and  Corinth,  and  wintered  at  Nicopolis.  He  traveled 
through  Dalmatia,  was  arrested  in  Asia,  and  again  brought  a 
prisoner  to  Rome.  Martyrdom  of  Paul  at  Rome  A.  D.  66. 
Martyrdom  of  Peter  about  A.  D.  65. 

It  is  not  certain  that  Peter  was  ever  in  Rome ; the  probability  is  against  it. 


62 


Outline  of  Bible  History. 


Destruction  of  Jerusalem,  A.  D.  70. 

John  was  banished  to  the  Island  of  Patmos  by  the  Emperor 
Domitian,  A.  D.  96,  where  he  wrote  the  Apocalypse.  About 
A.  D.  101  lie  wrote  his  Gospel. 

8.  Chronology  of  the  Epistles.— The  following  are  the  most 
probable  dates  of  Paul’s  Epistles : A.  D.  50 — The  Epistles  to 
the  Thessalonians,  written  at  Corinth.  A.  D.  55 — First  Co- 
rinthians, at  Ephesus;  Second  Corinthians  and  Galatians,  in 
Macedonia.  A.  D.  56 — Epistle  to  the  Romans,  at  Cenchrea. 
A.  D.  60 — Ephesians,  Colossians,  Philemon,  Philippians,  at 
Rome.  A.  D.  63— Hebrews,  in  Italy.  A.  D.  64 — To,  Titus, 
from  Macedonia.  A.  D.  65 — First  Timothy,  from  Nicopolis. 
A.  D.  66 — Second  Timothy,  at  Rome.  James  wrote  his  Epistle 
at  Jerusalem,  A.  D.  61 ; Peter  his  first  Epistle,  A.  D.  59,  and 
liis  second  Epistle  A.  D.  64  or  65  ; John  wrote  his  Epistles 
about  A.  D,  68;  and  Jude  his  Epistle  about  A.  D.  70. 


Supposed  Fields  of  Apostolic  Labor. 


NAME  OF  CHURCHES. 


Palestine  and  Syria. 

Mesopotamia,  (Turkey  in  Asia.) 
Persia. 

India. 

Thrace,  (Turkey  in  Europe.) 

Scythia,  (Russia.) 

North  Africa,  (Egypt  and  Algiers.) 

Ethiopia,  (Central  Africa.) 

Arabia. 

Asia  Minor,  (Turkey  in  Asia.) 
Macedonia,  (Turkey  in  Europe.) 
Greece  and  Italy. 


BY  WHOM  FOUNDED. 


All  the  Apostles. 

Peter  and  Jude. 

Bartholomew  and  Jude. 
Bartholomew  and  Thomas. 
Andrew.  The  Church  of  Constan- 
tinople afterward  sprang  up  here. 
Andrew. 

Simon  Zelotes.  Mark  especially 
connected  with  Alexandria. 
Matthew. 

Paul. 

Paul  and  John. 

Paul. 

Paul. 


THE  END. 


. 


; - y\ 


\ ■ 


* 


